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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



Fort Levi 

■S'cmMamXe!^ History. 




•iu»K»9tr'B!» 



THE 



Thousand Islands 



OF THE 



RiYER St. Law^i^ence 



With Descriptions of their Scenery, as given by Travellers 

from different Countries, at various periods since 

their First Exploration, and Historical 

Notices of Events with which 

they are associated. 



EDITED BY 



../ 



FRANKLIN B. HOUGH, 



Syracuse, N. Y.: 
DAVIS, BARDEEN & CO., PUBLISHERS. 

1880. 

7^ 



Copyright, 1880, 
By Franklin B. Hough. 






rsw?) 



PREFACE. 

The route of the St. Lawrence has long been noted 
for the variety and beauty of its scenery. The traveller 
coming up from the Sea, should he turn aside to ex- 
plore the chasm of the Saguenay, would witness a 
scene of grandeur scarcely equalled by any other of 
its kind, in any part of the world. Further up, 
the Rapids of the St. Lawrence present in succession 
displays of majestic power and volume that command ad- 
miration, and on finally reaching the level of navigable 
waters above, the approach to the first of the Great Lakes, 
leads through a labyrinth of Islands, which, for variety of 
scenery and quiet beauty, have seldom failed to awaken 
the enthusiasm of the traveller. 

To this group of Islands, with their historical associa- 
tions, and the impressions which their scenery has inspired, 
this little volume is mainly devoted. 

In arranging the materials of this work, the editor has 
been necessarily engaged, in a large degree, in presenting the 
thoughts of others; but, believing that the enjoyment of 
this scenery would be enhanced by learning the manner in 
Avhich it has impressed those who have witnessed it before, 
he has sought to present as wide a range of these impres- 
sions as opportunities allowed. 



m PBEFAGE, 

No one will doubt but that places acquire extraordinary- 
interest, when associated with great events, or even when 
linked in with the ideal incidents of poetry and romance. 
In allusion to the interest which these associations impart 
to so many places in the Old "World, while there are com- 
paratively few in the New, the naturalist Wilson, in whom 
were united a keen perception of the beauties of Nature, 
and a highly poetic temperament, in the opening part of 
his Foresters, says: 

" Yet Nature's charms, that bloom so lovely here, 

Unhailed arrive, unheeded disappear ; 

While bare, bleak heaths, and brooks of half a mile, 

Can rouse the thousand bards of Britain's Isle. 

There, scarce a stream creeps down its narrow bed. 

There, scarce a hillock lifts its little head, 

Or humble hamlet peeps their glades among. 

But lives and murmurs in immortal song. 

Our western world, with all its matchless floods. 

Our vast transparent lakes and boundless woods. 

Stamped with the traits of majesty sublime, 

Unhonored weep the silent lapse of time. 

Spread their wild grandeur to the unconscious sky. 

In sweetest seasons pass unheeded by ; 

While scarce one Muse returns the song they gave, 

Or seeks to snatch their glories from the grave." 

In some of the prose descriptions that follow, the reader 
will find a poetry of sentiment and imagery of thought, 
that cannot fail to engage the attention. In others, there 
are incidents and events described, that may add new in- 
terest to this region, especially those relating to the ac- 
counts of travel in the olden time, with the humble ac- 
commodations and the discomforts of the period, that 
afford a striking contrast with the exact appointments, 
and the ample luxuries of the present day. 

F. B. H. 

Lowville, i\r. Y. 



]4l^T0F^ICy\L AND yF^ADITIOjMAL ^CCOUjMT^, 



THE 



THOUSAND ISLANDS 



OF THE 



St. LAV^RENCE 



EARLY INDIAN HISTORY. 

"In the beginning," so far as history or traditions extend 
back into the past, this region was the border-land of the 
Algonquin and the Iroquois, — the former dwelling for the 
most part to the northward and eastward, while the latter, 
at least in the later period, had their principal homes along 
the lakes and rivers of Central and Western New York, 

At various places upon the hills that overlook the level 
portions of Jefferson County, and here and there in St. 
Lawrence County below, are traces of ancient defensive 
works, consisting of a low ridge and a shallow ditch, more or 
less circular in outline, or made across a point of land that 
was on the other sides protected by natural banks easy of 
defense. These were, doubtless, banks of earth, thrown 
up against the base of upright posts set close together in 
the ground, and before the introduction of fire-arms, they 



10 EARLY INDIAN HISTORY. 

must have been an effective shelter against any means of 
assault known in Indian warfare. Around these places, 
and in localities that must have been pleasant homes for a 
people that lived by hunting and fishing, there are found 
broken potterj', stone implements, and flint arrow heads, 
which obscurely mark the residence, and indicate the em- 
ployment of a race that has passed away. In a field on the 
hillside east of Watertown, there was found man}' years 
since a flat stone, covering a little pit full of bones that 
had evidently been picked up and buried b}' friendly 
hands after long exposure on the surface, and some of 
these had evidently been gnawed by wild beasts. Was 
this the place of some battle between the native tribes ? In 
one of these trench-enclosures in the town of Rutland 
there have been found human bones in the places where 
-the combatants must have fallen in attempting to enter or 
defend this stronghold of the olden time. 

The early historians of Canada record the fact, that a 
bloody war was going on between the Adirondacks or 
Algonquins on the St. Lawrence, and the Iroquois or Five 
Nations of the region now included in Central and Western 
New York, when the country was first visited by the 
French. Champlain took part in this war on the part 
of the former, and by the use of fire-arms, hitherto un- 
known in Indian warfare, turned the tide of success for a 
time in favor of his allies — but gained thereby the lasting 
hatred of their enemies towards the French. The origin 
of this warfare is traced by tradition to a long time before 
the first appearance of the white man, and although not 



EARLY INDIAX HISTORY. 11 

measured by moons or seasons, it still appeared to be con- 
sistent, and probable, — and according to tlie little that 
could be gathered, was as follows :^ 

The Algonquins and the Iroquois had lived for a long 
time in harmony, the former being the stronger, and chiefly 
subsisting by the chase, while the latter were more inclined 
to fishing and agriculture, Now and then the young men 
of the two races would go out on their hunting expeditions 
together, but in these the superiority of the man who 
killed the game, over him who skinned and dressed it, was 
always insisted upon, and when the party saw an oppor- 
tunity, it was the business of the one to pursue and slay, 
and of the other to stand by and see it done. 

At one time, half a dozen of each class were out in the 
w^inter on a hunting excursion together. The}' saw some 
elk, and immediately pursued them, but the Algon- 
quins, presuming on their su]3eriority, would not suffer the 
young Iroquois to take part, at the same time giving them 
to understand that the}- would soon have business enough 
on hand in taking care of the game they were about to kill. 
Three days were spent in vain pursuit, for although they 
sa}^ there was an abundance of game, ill luck followed 
them at every step. 

At length the Iroquois offered to go out themselves, and 
the former not doubting but that a like failure would soon 
put an end to their unwelcome comments upon their own 
efforts, consented. The tide of success turned in their 

(1) La Hontan, De la Potlierie, Colden, Charlevoix, etc. 



12 EARLY INDIAN HISTORY. 

favor, and the Iroquois soou returned with an abundance 
of game. Mortified at this result, the jealous Algonquins 
the next night killed all of their successful rivals, as they 
lay sleeping. The crime, although concealed and denied, 
was soon discovered, and the Iroquois at first made their 
complaints with moderation — simply asking that justice 
should be done to the murderers. 

No attention was made to these complaints, and the in- 
jured party took justice into their own hands, solemnly 
vowing to exterminate the haughty race, or perish in the 
attempt. Long series of retaliatory inroads were from 
this time made by each into the territories of the other, 
which finally ended greatly to the advantage of the Iro- 
quois, and in the almost total annihilation of their enemies. 
The St. Francis Indians are a remnant of this once power- 
ful tribe. 

At the time of first surveys, the traditional line between 
the Indians of Canada and the Iroquois of New York, ex- 
tended from the mouth of French Creek, in the village of 
Clayton, across the countr}'' to Split Rock on Lake Cham- 
plain ; and on the map drawn by Arent Marselis, a surveyor 
of the last century, and now found in the State archives, 
one of his lines runs ' 'to an old fort, which stood on the 
creek, called Weteringhra-Guentere'^ , and which empties 
into the St. Lawrence, about twelve miles below Carleton 

(1) The Rev, Eleazer Williams, of St. Regis — (by some 
thought to have been Prince Louis XVII, of France), who 
was well acquainted with the Oneida dialect, informed the 
writer about 1853, that this term signifies "Fallen Fort." 



LEGEND OF HIAWATHA. 13 

or Buck Island, and which fort the Oneidas took from 
their enemies a long time ago.'' 

This fixes the identity of this stream as the "French 
Creek" of the present day. and the site of the fort, as in or 
near the present village of Clayton. It may tend to con- 
firm the tradition recorded by La Hontan, Colden, Charle- 
voix, and others, and furnish a connecting link between 
written history and the unrecorded past. 

HIAWATHA. 

The Legend of Hiawatha has been rendered familiar to 
most readers of American Poetry hj the metrical version 
of Longfellow, and the prose of Clark, Schoolcraft and 
others, and much controversy has been had with respect to 
the author of the Legend as it first appeared in English. 
AYe accept as fully reliable, the statement made by the late 
Hon. J. Y. H. Clark, of Manlius, author of the History of 
Onondaga Countj^, in a letter to the New Y'ork Tribune, in 
January, 1856, in which the claims of various writers, and 
the dates of their publications are precisely stated. 

From this it appears, that it was first related to him by 
the Onondaga Chiefs Ossahinta, (Capt. Frost), and Deliat- 
katons, (Abram La Fort), in the Summer of 1843,— written 
out and read before various societies, and in March, 1844, 
sent to the New Y'ork Historical Society. It was after- 
wards published by Mr. Schoolcraft, without acknowledg- 
ment to Mr. Clark, in his ''Notes on the Iroquois,"'^ and 
some years later in his larger work on the "History, 

(1) Pages 192, 478. 



U LEGEND OF HIAWATHA. 

Condition, unci Prospects of the Indian Tribes of the United 
States."'^ Finally it appeared iu the more familiar and 
highly imaginative versification of ' ' The Song of Hiaica- 
tha," by the poet Longfellow, in 1855, in which credit is 
given to Mr, Schoolcraft as the original writer from Indian 
traditions, he probably not having seen the earlier publica- 
tions of Mr. Clark. 

The Legend relates to the Origin of the League of the 
Iroquois, at a time which no record fixes by date, and no 
circumstance acceptable to the historian would lead him to 
locate otherwise than somewhere in that period clouded 
in the uncertainties of the forgotten past. We cannot pre- 
sent its beginning, which is in this region, more appropri- 
ately than in the original language of Mr, Clark- : — 

"Hundreds of years ago, Ta-oun-ya-icat-ha, the Deity 
who presides over fisheries and streams, came down from 
his dwelling place in the clouds to visit the inhabitants of 
the earth. He had been deputed by the Great and Good 
Spirit, Ha-va-ne-u to visit the streams and clear the chan- 
nels from all obstructions, to seek out the good things of 
the country' through Avhich he intended to pass, that they 
might be more generally disseminated among all the good 
people of the earth, — especially to point out to them the most 
excellent fishing grounds, and to bestow upon them other 
acceptable gifts. " About this time, two young men of the 
Onondaga Nation were listlessly gazing over the calm blue 
waters of the Lake of a Thousand Isles. During their 
reverie they espied, as they thought, far in the distance, a 
single white speck, beautifully dancing over the bright blue 
waters, and while they watched the object with the most 
intense anxiety, it seemed to increase in magnitude, and 
moved as if approaching the place where they were con- 
cealed, most anxiously awaiting the event of the visitation 

(1) Part 3, page 314, etc, 

(2) History of Onondaga Co., i, p, 21, Lights and Lines 
of Indian and Pioneer Life, p, 7 — 21. 



LEGEND OF IIIA WA THA. 15 

of so siuo'ular an object, — for at this time no canoes liad ever 
made their appearance in the direction from whence this 
was approaching. As the object nearedthe shore, it proved 
in semblance to be a venerable looking man, calm'y seated 
in a canoe of pure white, very curiously constructed, and 
much more ingeniously wrought than those in use among 
the tribes of the country. Like a cygnet upon the wide 
blue sea, s > sat the canoe of To-oun-ya-irat-ha, upon the 
Lake of a Thousand Lsles. 

As a frail branch drifts towards the rushing cataract, so 
coursed the v^hite canoe over the rippling waters, propelled 
by the strong arm of the god of the river. Deep thought 
sat on the brow of the gray-headed mariner: penetration 
marked his eye, and deep dark mystery pervaded his 
countenance. With a sino:le oar he silently paddled his 
light-trimmed bark along the shore, as if seeking a com- 
niodious haven of rest. He soon turned the prow of his 
fragile vessel into the estuary of the ' douhle nicer,' and 
made fast to the western shore. He majestically ascended 
the steep bank, nor stopped till he had gained the loftiest 
summit of the western hill. Then silently gazing around 
as if to examine the country, he became enchanted with 
the view, and drawing his stately form to its utmost 
height, he exclaimed in accents of the wildest enthusiasm, 
OsJi-wlia-kee, O^h-icah-kee. " ^ 

He approached the two young hunters, gained their con- 
fidence, and having drawn from them a knowledge of 
t^je difficulties under Avhich they labored, disclosed to them 
the spirituality of his character, and the object of his mis- 
sion. He invited them to attend him in his passage up the 
river, and they witnessed many things which could only 
be accounted for as miracles, or be described but in the 
wonders of Indian mythology. He ascended to the lesser 
lakes, placed all things in proper order for the comfort 
and sustenance of man, taught them how to cultivate corn 
and beans, which had not before been grown by them, 
made the fishing ground free, and opened to all the unin- 

(1) The name Osh-irah-kee, as "Oswego," was anciently 
called, literally signifies " L see ever yi die re and L see noth- 
ing." — Clark's Onondaga, i, 22. 



\ 



16 LEGEND OF HIAWATHA. 

terrupted pursuit of game. He distributed among man- 
kind the fruits of the earth, and removed all obstructions 
from the navigable streams. Being pleased with his suc- 
cess, he assumed the character and habits of a man, and 
received the name Hi-a-irat-lia, (signifying "very wise 
man,") and fixed his residence on the beautiful shores of 
Cross Lake. After a time, the country became alarmed by 
a hostile invasion, when he called a Council of all the 
tribes from the east and the west, and in a long harangue 
urged upon them the importance of uniting themselves in 
a league for their common defense and mutual happiness. 
They deliberated upon his advice, and the next day 
adopted and ratified the League of Union which he recom- 
mended. As Lycurgus gave law to the Spartans, and 
swore them to faithfully observe its precepts until his 
return from a journe3^ — and then departed to return no 
more, so Hi-a-wat-1ia, having brought this Council to a 
close, and as the assembled tribes were about to separate, 
on their return home, arose in a dignified manner, and 
thus addressed them : 

" Friends and Brothers : — I have now f..lfilled my mis- 
sion upon earth; I have done everjthiug which can be 
done at present for the good of this great people. Age, 
infirmity and distress, sit heavily upon me. During my 
sojourn among you, I have removed all obstructions from 
your streams. Canoes can now pass everywhere. I have 
given 3'ou good fishing waters and good hunting grounds, 
I have taught you how to cultivate corn and beans, and 
have learned yon the art of making cabins. Many other 
blessings I have liberally bestowed upon you. 

Lastl3^ I have now assisted you to form an everlasting 
league and covenant of strength and friendship, for 3'our 
future safet}' and protection. If yon preserve it without 
the admission of other people, you will always be free, 
numerous and mighty. If other nations are admitted to 
your councils, they will sow jealousies among \om, and 
you will become enslaved, few and feeble. Remember 
these words : they are the last you will hear from the lips 



LEGEND OF HIAWATHA. 17 

of Hi-a-irat-lm. Listen, my friends, the Greai-Mn^^ter-of- 
Breath calls me to go. I have patiently waited his sum- 
mons. I am ready: Farewell.'' 

As the wise man closed his speech, there bm-st upon the 
ears of the assembled multitude, the cheerful sounds of 
the most delightful singing voices. The whole sk}' seemed 
filled with the sweetest melody of celestial music: and 
Heaven's high arch echoed and re-echoed the touching 
strains, till the whole vast assembly was completely ab- 
sorbed in rapturous ecstacy. Amidst the general confu- 
sion which now prevailed, and while all eyes Avere turned 
towards the etlierial regions, Hi-a-ico.t-ha was seen majes- 
ticall}'' seated in his canoe, gracefully rising higher and 
higher above their heads through the air, until he became 
entirely lost from the view of the assembled throng, who 
witnessed his wonderful ascent in mute and admiring 
astonishment — while the fascinating music graduall}^ 
became more plaintive and low, and finall}' sweetly ex- 
pired in the softest tones upon their ears, as the wise man 
Hi-a-tmt-Jia, the godlike Ta-oun-ya-icat-ha, retired from 
their sight, as mysteriously as he first appeared from The 
Lake of a TJiousand Isles, and quietly entered the regions 
inhabited onl}' by the favorites of the great and good spirit 
Ha-vxih-ne-u. 

In the Legend as rendered by Longfellow, no allusion to 

this region is specificall}^ made, and the scene of events 

is located in the west, on the south shore of Lake Superior, 

in the region beyond the Pictured Rocks and the Grand 

Sable. 

CREATION OP THE INDIAN RACE. 

Among the traditions of various Indian tribes, we find a 
Legend of their creation, which although differing more or 
less in details, agrees in ascribing their origin to a people 



18 CREATION OF THE INDIAN RACE. 

who came out of the ground. Of this mythological belief, 
we have an interesting example in this part of the world, 
as given by M. Pouchot, a French writer of acknowledged 
merit, who recorded what he saw and heard. This writer 
was an officer in the French service, and commanded Fort 
Levis, on the Oraconenton Isle, a short distance below 
Ogdensburgh, when this last strong-hold of the French was 
captured by Lord Amherst in 1760. 

He subsequently prepared a history of the events in which 
he had himself borne an important part, which was pub- 
lished some years after his death, and in this he gives much 
information concerning the Indians who then inhabited 
this region. In describing the shores of Lake Ontario, he 
speaks of a great arc of sand hills, along the eastern end of 
the lake, behind which are marshy meadows, through 
which the rivers wind. 

This description clearly identifies these streams Avith those 
now known as the Xorth and South Branches of Sandy 
Creek, in the tow^n of EUisburgh, which unite just above 
the point wiiere they enter the lake. These streams were 
called by the French "Au Sables," and by the Indians, Et- 
cat-a-ra-ga-re-ne; and he says they are remarkable in this, 
that at the head of the South Branch, called Te-can-on-on-a- 
ro-ne-si, is the place where the traditions of the Iroquois fix 
the spot ''ichere they issued from the ground, or rather, 
according to their traditions, where they were horn" 

The source of this stream is in a swamp in the present 
town of Pinckney, Lewis County. Another branch of 
Sandy Creek heads near Copenhagen Village, not far from 



BECORDS.— EUROPEAN DISCO VERY. 19 

the little swamp, once a pond, in which the tusk of a 
mammoth was found in excellent preservation in the Fall of 
1877, — the rest of the remains being in all probability near 
by. If any one can connect the tradition with this fact, 
he deserves credit, at least for inventive genius and fer- 
tile imagination. 

TRACES OF INDIAN RECORDS ON THE ST. LAWRENCE. 

Opposite the village of Oak Point, in Elizabeth Town- 
ship, Canada, there existed in 1850, and perhaps does stilly 
a rude representation of a canoe with thirty-five men, and 
near it a cross. On the rocks belov/ Brockville there were 
two similar paintings, each being a canoe with six men. 
A deer rudely painted on the rocks was found on the shore 
of Black Lake, a few miles inland from Morristown, and 
doubtless other rude sketches of the kind may be found. 
These are probably of comparatively modern origin, or at 
most not earlier than the time of European settlement. 
They may have been significant of some event, at the time 
when made, but whatever the objects may have been, they 
have passed into oblivion with the memory of those who 
made them. 

EUROPEAN DISCOVERY AND EXPLORATIONS. 

On the 10th of August, 1535, Jacques Cartier with three 
vessels entered the Gulf, which, in honor of the Saint 
whose feast is celebrated on that day, he named St. Law- 
rence'^. The name came afterwards to be applied to the 

(1) Charlevoix, Hist, de la Noucelle France, i, 15. 
According to Ecclesiastical history, Saint Lawrence lived 



20 EUROPEAN DISCOVERY.— EXPEDITIONS. 

noble river that here flowed into the sea, affording drainage 
to a country of vast extent, and presenting scenery along 
its course which for majestic grandeur, variety and beauty, 
has no parallel in any other part of the world. 

The first European who visited Lake Ontario was Samuel 
Champlain, in 1615. He mentions onh' that at the begin- 
ning of the river St. Lawrence, there are some beautiful 
and very large islands in the passage, but his descriptions 
are so meagre, and his map so imperfect, that we find little 
definite information as to the exact route that he took, or 
the places that he visited in this journej'. 

In 1659, Father Simon LeMoine, in going to Onondaga, 
records his progress up the rapids with considerable full- 
ness, but makes no allusion to the islands. In fact, for the 
next fiftj" 3'ears the record is almost a blank; yet from time 
to time the early French explorers pursued their journeys 
up and down the river, and doubtless from these this group 
of islands acquired the name "Milleslles,"as a general term, 
expressing a great and infinite number, rather than witli 
the least idea of approximation at the truth. It is not until 

1665-6 that we get a description in any wa}' intelligible or 
correct. 

EXPEDITIONS OF DE COURCELLE AND DE TRACY. 

In the papers relating to De Courcelle's and De Tracj^'s 
expeditions against the 3Iohawk Indians^ (1665-6), in 

in the tliird centurj- of the Christian era, and suffered 
martyrdom under the Roman Emperor Valerian, in the 
year 258. 

(1) Documentary History of New York, I, 63. From the 
^'Jesuit Relations," 1664 and 1665. 



DE CO URCELLES AND BE TEA CY. 21 

describing the routes leading into the Iroquois country, the 
navigation of the St. Lavvrence is mentioned as exceedingly 
difficult until the rapids are passed : 

"But when the mouth of the Great Lake is reached, the 
navigation is easy, when the Avaters are tranquil, becoming 
insensiblj^ wider at first, then about two-thirds, next one- 
half, and finally out of sight of land ; especially after one 
has passed an infinity of little islands which are at the 
entrance of the lake in such great numbers, and in such a 
variety, that the most experienced Iroquois Pilots some- 
times lose themselves there, and have considerable diffi- 
culty in distinguishing the course to be steered, in the 
confusion, and, as it were, in the labyrinth formed by the 
islands, which otherwise have nothing agreeable beyond 
their multitude. For these are only huge rocks rising out 
of the water, covered merel}^ by moss, or a few spruce or 
other stunted wood, whose roots spring from the clefts of 
the rocks which can su^oply no other aliment or moisture to 
these barren trees than what the rains furnish them. After 
leaving this melancholy abode, the Lake is discovered, 
appearing like unto a sea without islands or bounds, where 
barks and ships can sail in all safet}^, so that the communi- 
cations would be easy between all the French colonies that 
could be established on the borders of this Great Lake 
which is more than a hundred leagues long, by thirty or 
forty wide." 

FRENCH ISnSSIONARIES. 

Among the pioneers of discovery, were the Missionaries 
who were sent out to gain the friendship and secure the 
conversion of the Indian tribes of the interior. These 
zealous men allowed no obstacles or dangers to interrupt 
their efforts, or dampen their ardor, but with an energy and 
perseverance that cannot fail to excite our admiration, they 
pursued their way to the remotest parts of the interior, 
where some lived many years among the savages, amid all 
the privations of a wilderness, and others were murdered, 



22 FRENCH CATHOLIC MISSION ABIES. 

or miserably perished in the solitudes of the forest. We 
can here mention but a few of these pioneers and dis- 
coverers : 

Francois de Salignac de Fenelon, half brother of the 
illustrious French writer, the Archbishop of Cambray, 
came to Canada in 1667, and was for some time engaged in 
the Indian Missions at Toronto and elsewhere. 

The Abbe Fenelon accompanied the Count de Frontenac 
to Lake Ontario in 1673, and in a ditticulty that arose 
between the Count and Gov. Perrot, he took sides with the 
latter. ^ 

Louis Hennepin, a Franciscan, came to Canada in 1675, 
and was stationed the next year at Frontenac. He was 
afterwards sent by La Salle to explore the country, 
and was the first European who saw the Mississippi river. 
In 1697, after the death of his patron, he published an 
account of remote regions that he pretended to have visited, 
but which is now regarded in part at lest as a fiction. 
Father Marquette also made extensive journej^s in the west, 
and died at Mackinaw, May 14, 1675. Menard, Allouez 
and many others passed this way on their journeys to dis- 
tant, points, but these men were, as a rule, little given to 
romantic descriptions, and their " relations " pertain more 
to the proper object of their Missions, than to the scenery 
that they passed. 

Father Emanuel Crespel, in a little work published in 
1742, describes some incidents of a journey into the Indian 

(1) Colonial History of New York, ix, p. 113. 



ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT FRONTENAC. 23 

countiy ou the Upper Lakes. He was fifteen days going 
from Montreal to Frontenac, and was there detained some 
time in waiting for a vessel to Niagara. This was of about 
eighty tons burthen, and apparently the only one then on 
the lake. The passage was made in less than thirtj'-six 
hours. The lake was verj' calm, and he sounded with a 
line of a hundred fathoms without finding bottom. 

Ou his return he remained two years at Frontenac, when 
he was recalled to Montreal, and soon afterwards was sent to 
Lci Pointe de la Chevelure^ on the east side of Lake Cham- 
plain, in the present State of Vermont, and opposite the 
French post at Crown Point. 

FIRST MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT UPON LAKE ONTARIO- 
FORT FRONTENAC. — (1673.) 

In order to protect the French interests, the Count de 
Frontenac resolved to establish a military post at the outlet 
of the Lake, and with the view of impressing the natives 
with the poAver of the French, he resolved to take two flat 
bottomed canoes up the rapids, and even to mount them 
with cannon, to inspire them with awe. The boats were 
built after a particular model, painted unlike anything 
ever seen before, and were each manned by sixteen men, 
AVith these and about one hundred and twenty bark canoes 
he left Montreal on .the 16tli of June, and in about three 
weeks reached the beginning of smooth-water navigation. 
Hearing that the Indians had assembled in great numbers, 

(1) "Scalp Point." This writer describes in detail the 
origin of the name, and the customs that it indicates. 



2I^ ESTABLISHMENT OF FORT FRONTENAC. 

and were uneasy about the object of his expedition, he re- 
solved to proceed with caution, in one body, and in closer 
column than before. The weather was so serene, and the 
navigation so smooth, that they made more than ten 
leagues the first day, and went into camp at a cove about a 
league and a half from Otondiata^, where the eel fishing 
begins. In his Journal he says : 

"We had the pleasure on the way to catch a small loon, a 
bird about as large as a European Outarde, of the most 
beautiful plumage, but very difficult to be caught alive, 
as it dives constantly under, so that it is no small rarity to 
be able to take one. A cage was made for it, and orders 
were given to endeavor to raise it, in order to send it to the 
King. On the 11th [of July], the weather continuing fine, 
a good daj^'s journey was made, having passed all that 
vast group of islands with which the river is spangled, and 
camped at a point above the river called by the Indians 
Onnondakoui- , up which many of them go hunting. It has 
a very considerable channel. Two more loons w^ere caught 
alive, and a scanouton, wiiich is a kind of deer, but the 
head and antlers are handsomer than the deer of France." 

The narrative continues with an account of the regal 
manner with wdiich the Count de Frontenac entered the 
Lake, and the interviews he had Avith the Indians. In 
short, nothing which pomp and ceremony — the waving of 
banners, martial music, and the discharge of cannon could 
do, w^as omitted, to impress the Avondering natives w^^ith an 
overwhelming idea of the omnipotence of the French. 
The speeches and proceedings of the occasion are all found 
fully recorded^. The outline of a fort, was at once traced 

(1) "Toniata" was what is now^ known as Grenadier Is- 
land, above Brockville. 

(2) Gananoqui. 

(3) Colonial History of New York, ix., 95. Hi%i. St. Law- 
rence and Franklin Counties, (1853), 32. 



EXPEDITION OF BE LA BARRE. 25 

out, and its construction commenced. Beginning work by 
daylight on tlie 14tli, the ground was cleared before night. 
The Indians were astonished to see the large clearance 
made in a day — some squaring timber in one place ; others 
fetching pickets; and others cutting trenches, all at the 
same time, and with the greatest dispatch and order. 

EXPEDITION OF DE LA BARRE. — (1684.') 

De la Barre, Governor of Canada from 1682 to 1685, had 
distinguished himself in the West Indies, where he had 
taken Antigua and Montserat from the English. In 1684, 
he repaired to Fort Frontenac, and ordered three vessels 
which the French had built upon the Lake to be repaired, 
with the design of crossing to the country of the Iroquois, 
and frightening the people into his own terms of peace. 
His army consisted of 600 soldiers, 400 Indians, and 400 
men for carrying provisions, besides 300 men left in the 
fort.i 

The Governor tarried six weeks at Frontenac, his en- 
campment being near a pestilential marsh, causing so great 
sickness and mortality that he found himself unable to 
accomplish his object by force of arms. He accordingly 
resolved to effect what he could by treaty, and having 
vainly hoped to obtain the co-operation of Gov. Dongan,, 
he sent agents to invite the Five Nations to a Council. 

(1) Colden's Hist, of the Five Nations, p. 77. 

Charlevoix says (i, 490) that the force consisted of 700 
militia, 130 regulars, and 200 Indians. The official report 
made at Frontenac, Aug. 14th, gave 34 officers and 780 
men. De Meules, the Intendant, says, 900 men and SOO^ 
Indians. 
2 



26 BE LA BABRE'S EXBEBITION. 

The Governor of New York, although in sympathj^ with 
the religious influences so actively emploj^ed by the 
French, did not consent to any concurrence, but secretly 
put every obstacle in the way ; and in this he so far suc- 
ceeded, that the Mohawks and Senecas remained at home. 
The other tribes, who were more under the influence of 
the French missionaries, sent representatives to meet him, 
consisting of Garangula,^ and thirty warriors. The place 
of meeting was at "La Famine,"- or Eaihahage, at the 
eastern end of Lake Ontario, about thirty miles from 
Onondaga Castle, 

After remaining two days in the French Camp, the 
Governor proceeded to address the Indians, a circle being 
formed by the French officers on one side, and Garangula 
and his warriors on the other. 

Speech of Governor Be la Barre. 

The King, my Master, being informed that the Five 
Nations have often infringed the Peace, has ordered me to 
come hither with a guard, and to send Ohquasse^ to the 
Onnondagas, to bring the chief sachems to my camp. The 
intention of the great King is, that you and I may smoke 
the Calumet of Peace together, but on this condition, that 

(1) This Indian was not a sachem, but onlj^ an orator of 
the Onondaga tribe. His real name was " Hotereonati, " 
" Hoteonati, " or "Oureonati," as variously spelled. He 
was called by the French Orand Guide, "Big Mouth," 
from which is formed the name as given in the text. 

(2) Supposed to be at the mouth of Salmon River, or 
Sandy Creek. Our account of interview is taken from 
Golden' s Hist, of the Five Nations, (1727,) and that author 
followed the Baron La Hontan (1705,) very literally. A 
version different in language, but substantially the same in 
substance, is given the official account published in the 
Colonial History of New York. 

(3) M. Le Main. This word signifies a Partridge. 



SPEECH OF GOVERNOR DE LA BARRE. 27 

you promise me, in the name of the Cayugas, Onnondagas, 
Oneydoes and Mohcaoks, to give entire satisfaction and repa- 
ration to his subjeets, and for the future never to molest 
them. Tlie Sennekas, Cayugas, Onnondagas, Oneydoes and 
Mohawks, have robbed and abused all the traders that were 
passing towards the Illinois, and Umamies, and other 
Indian Nations, the children of my King. They have 
acted on these occasions contrary to the Treaty of Peace, 
with my predecessers. I am ordered therefore to demand 
satisfaction, and to tell them, that in case of refusal, or 
their plundering us any more, that I have express orders 
to declare war. This belt confirms my words. 

The warriors of the Five Nations have conducted the Eng- 
lish into the lakes, which belong to the King my master, and 
brought the English among the nations tliat are his chil- 
dren, to destroy the trade of his subjects, and to withdraw 
those nations from him. They have carried the English 
thither, notwithstanding the prohibition the late Governor 
of New York, who foresaw the risk that both of you 
would run. I am Avilling to forget these things, but 
if ever the like shall happen for the future, I have express 
orders to declare war against you. This belt confirms my 
iDords. 

Your warriors have made several barbarous incursions 
on the Illinois and Umamies. They have massacred men 
women and children, and have made many of these two 
nations prisoners, who thought themselves safe in their vil- 
lages in time of peace. These people, who are my King's 
children, must not be your slaves; you must give them their 
liberty, and send them back into their own country. If 
the Five Nations shall refuse to do this, I have express 
orders to declare war against them. This belt confirms my 
coords. 

This is what I had to say to Garangula that he maj^ 
carry to the Sennekas, Cayugas, Onnondagas, Oneydoes and 
Mohawks the declaration which the King my master has 
commended me to make. He doth not wish them to force 
him to send a great army to Caderackqui Fort, to begin a 
war, which must be fatal to them. He would be sorry 
that this fort, which is a work of peace, should become the 
prison of your warriors. We must endeavor on both sides 
to prevent such misfortunes. The French, who are the 
brethren and friends of the Five Nations, will never trouble 



^8 REPLY OF GARANaULA. 

their repose, — provided that satistaction which I demand is 
given, and that the Treaties of Peace be hereafter observed. 
I shall be extremely gi'ieved if my words do not produce 
the effect which 1 expect from them ; for then I shall be 
obliged to join with the Governor of New York, who is 
commanded hy his master to assist me, and burn the castles 
of the Fite Nations, and destroy you. This belt confirms 
my words. 

Garangula, (who was well informed as to the distresses 
of the French), while the Governor was speaking kept his 
eyes fixed upon the end of his pipe, and as soon as he fin- 
ished, he rose. After walking five or six times around the 
circle, he returned to his place, where he spoke standing, 
while De la Barre remained seated in his arm chair. 
QarangulcC s Anstcer. 

Yonnonclio, ^ I honor you, and the warriors that are with 
me likewise honor you. Your interpreter has finished your 
speech ; I now begin mine. My words make haste to reach 
your ears — harken to them. 

Tonnondio, you must have believed when you left Que- 
bec, that the sun had burnt up all the forests which render 
our countr}^ inaccessable to the French, or the lakes had 
so far overflown their banks, that they had surrounded our 
castles, and that it was impossible for us to get out of them. 
Yes, Tonnondio, surely you must have thought so, and the 
curiosity of seeing so great a country burnt up, or under 
water, has brought you so far. Now you are undeceived, 
since that I and my warriors are come to assure you, that 
the Sennekas, Cayngas, Oiinondagas, Oneydoes and Mohawks 
are all alive. I thank you in their name, for bringing back 
into their country the Calumet which your predecessor re- 
ceived from their hands. It was happy for you that you 
left underground that murdering hatchet, which has been 
so often dyed in the blood of the French, Hear, Tonnon- 
dio, I do not sleep. I have my eyes open, and the sun 
which enlightens me discovers to me a great captain at the 
head of a company of soldiers who speaks as if he were 

(1) Tonnondio, or Onnontio, signifying "Great Moun- 
tains," was the name applied to the Governor of Canada. 



REPL Y OF QABANa ULA. 29 

dreaming. He says that he only came to the Lake to smoke 
on the great Calumet with the Onnondagas. But Garan- 
gula says, that he sees the contrary, that it was to knock 
them on the head, if sickness had not weakened the arms 
of the French. 

I see Tonnondio raving in a camp of sick men, whose 
lives the Great Spirit has saved, b}^ inflicting this sickness 
on them. Hear, Yonnoiidio, — our women had taken their 
clubs, our children and old men had carried their bows and 
arrows into the heart of your camp, if our warriors had 
not disarmed them, and retained them when your messen- 
ger Ohquasse appeared in our castle. It is done, and I have 
said it. 

Hear, Tonnondio, we plundered none of the French, but 
those that carried guns, powder and ball to the Twihties^ 
and CMdaghicks, because those arms might have cost us 
our lives. Herein we follow the example of the Jesuits, 
who stave all the barrels of rum brought to our castle, 
lest the drunken Indians should knock them on the head. 
Our warriors have not beavers enough to pay for all these 
arms that they have taken, and our old men are not afraid 
of the war. This belt preserves my icords. 

"We carried the English into our lakes, to traffic there 
with the Utawas and Qutogkies^ , 2i^t\\e Adirondackshvo\igh.t 
the French to our castles to carr}^ on a trade which the 
English say is theirs. We are born free. We neither de- 
pend upon Tonnondio nor Corlaer^. 

We may go where we please, and carry with us whom 
we please, and buy and sell what we please. If your allies 
be your slaves, use them as such. Command them to 
receive no other but your own people. Tins belt ^yreserves 
my icords. 

We knockt the Twihties and Chictagliiks on the head 
because they cut down the Trees of Peace, which were the 

(1) Miamis. (2) Hurons. 

(3) Arendt Corlaer was a Dutch agent held in high esteem 
by the Mohawks. He was drowned in Lake Champlain, 
while passing Split Rock, and the traditions of the Indians 
long preserved the incidents of that event. He was then on 
his way to Canada upon public business relating to the 
welfare of the countr}-. The name came afterwards to be 
a,pplied to the English Governors, 



30 SPEECH OF GARANGULA. 

limits pi our country. They have hunted beavers on our 
lands; tliey have acted contrary to the customs of all In- 
dians ; for the}^ left none of the beavers alive, they killed 
both male and female. They brought the Satanas into 
their country to take part with them, and armed them, 
after they had concerted ill designs against us. We have 
done less than either the English or French, that have 
usurped the lands of so many Indian nations, and chased 
them from their own couutr3^ This belt preserves my words. 

Hear, Yonnondio. What I say is the voice of the Mve 
Nations. Hear what they answer. Open your ears to what 
they speak. The Sennecas, Cayugas, Onnondagas, Oney- 
does and MoTunr'ks say: That when they buried the hatchet 
at Caderacqui, (in the presence of your predecessor), in the 
middle of the fort, they planted the Tree of Peace in the 
same place, to be there preserved, that, in place of a retreat 
for soldiers, that fort might be a rendezvous of merchants ; 
that in place of arms and munitions of war, beavers and 
merchandise should only enter there. 

Hear, Yonnorulio, take care of the future, that so great a- 
number of soldiers as appear here do not choke the Tree of 
Peace in so small a fort. It will be a great loss, if after it 
had so easily taken root, you should stop its growth, and 
prevent its covering your country and ours with its 
branches. I assure you in the name of the Five Nations, 
that our warriors shall dance to the Calumet of peace under 
its leaves, and shall remain quiet on their mats, and shall 
never dig up the hatchet till their brethren Yonnondio or 
Corlaer shall either jointl}" or separately endeavor to attack 
the country which the Great Spirit has given to our ances- 
tors. This heli presertes my words, and this other the author- 
ity lohich the Five Nations have given me. 

Then Garangula, addressing himself to M. Le Main, 

said : — 

Take courage, Ohquasse, you have spirit, speak, explain 
my words, forget nothing. Tell all that your brethren and 
friends say to Yonnondio, your Governor, by the mouth of 
Garangula , who honors you, and desires you to accept this 
present of beavers, and take part with me in my feast, to 
which I invite you. This present of beavers is sent to Yon- 
Tiondio, on the part of the Five Nations. 



INVASION OF THE IROQUOIS, IN 1688. 31 

De la Barre returned to his tent enraged at what he had 
heard, but powerless to resent it. When he had set out for 
Montreal with the few soldiers who remained in health, the 
militia made the best of their way to their homes, without 
order or discipline. ^ 

EXPEDITION OF DE NONVILLE. — (1685.) 

In 1685, the Marquis De Nonville made an expedition into 
the Genesee countrj', but left no record of local interest 
concerning the Islands. 

THE AVENGING INROAD OF THE IROQUOIS UPON 
THE FRENCH. — (1688.) 

Early in July, 1688, an act of perfidy on the part of the 
French, brought down upon their settlements the terrible 
vengance of the Iroquois. Passing down the St. Lawrence, 
they landed at Lachine on the 26th of July, and fell upon 
the unsuspecting inhabitants, burning, plundering and 
massacreing in all directions, and almost up to the defenses 
of Montreal. They lingered weeks in the country, laid 
waste the settlements far and wide, and returned with, 
the loss of only three men. The French lost about a 
thousand persons by this inroad, and many prisoners were 
carried off for a fate worse than sudden death. 

The French at Fort Frontenac, were obliged to burn the 
two vessels they had on the Lake, and abandon the fort, 
first setting a slow match to the powder magazine. The 

(1) Extended accounts of De la Barre's expedition will 
be found in the Colonial History of Neto York, vol. i, and 
in the Documentary History of New York, vol. i. 



^2 ONONDAGA EXPEDITION. 

fire happened to go out before the powder was reached, and 
the place was soon plundered by the Indians. The garri- 
son set out in seven bark canoes, traveling only by night, 
and hiding by day, and after much difficulty reached Mon- 
treal with the loss of one canoe and all on board. 

DeNonville witnessed the devastation of his colony 
without daring to resist the enemy w^hile engaged in their 
work of ruin, nor on their return. He was succeeded the 
next year by Frontenac, who arrived late in the season, to 
the infinite joy of the surviving inhabitants. They had 
formerly known his ability as a Governor, and had suffered 
beyond measure from the timidity and incompetence of 
their late ruler. The year 1688 was long remembered in 
Canada as "the year of the massacre." 

ONONDAGA EXPEDITION OF THE COUNT DE FRONTENAC. 

In 1696, the Count de Frontenac made an incursion into 
the country of the Onondagas, but the only mention that 
he makes of this region, is his encampment for a night 
upon the Ileau Chevreuils, now known as Carleton Island. 

SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH ON LAKE 
ONTARIO. 

During the next fifty years, the French were steadily 
extending their trade, and endeavoring to attach the remote 
Indian tribes to their interests. In 1687, they established 
a fort at Niagara, and in 1722, the English built a trading 
house, and in 1727, a fort at Oswego. Although England 
and France were during much of this time at peace, and 
the Governors of their colonies on terms of correspondence. 



INDIAN MISSION A T OGDENSB URGE. 33 

there was probably no period down to the conquest of 1760 
during which each of the two powers w\as not busy through 
its agents, in endeavoring to monopolize the Indian trade, 
and in extending its influence with the native tribes. 

INDIAN MISSION AT OSWEGATCHIE ; LA PRESENTATION. 

(1749.) 

A considerable number of Iroquois, cliiefl}' Onondagas, 
having been induced to settle on the St. Lawrence, a mis- 
sion was established in 1749, at the mouth of the Oswe- 
gatchie, on the site of the present city of Ogdensburgh. 
This mission was named La Presentation, and its founder 
was Francis Picquet, a Sulpician. During the first season 
he built a store house and a small fort, but before the end 
of the year his settlement was attacked by a band of Mo- 
hawks, who burned two vessels loaded Avith hay, and the 
palisades of the fort. After this, some soldiers were sta- 
tioned here for protection. The station progressed rapidly, 
and in 1751 a saw mill was begun. 

The English who had built a trading house and a fort at 
Oswego many years before, naturally looked with jealousy 
upon this establishment by the French. Word was 
brought to them by the Indians, concerning their posts 
lately erected on the Ohio, and the informant said "he 
heard a bird sing, that a great many Indians from his castle, 
and others from the Five Nations, were gone to Swegage." 

In June, 1754, the celebrated Congress of Representa- 
tives from the English Colonies, met at xllbany, to consider 
a Plan of Union for their common defense, and on this 
occasion these encroachments were fully discussed. 



SJi. MISSION AT LA PRESENTATION. 

In tlie war which followed, La Presentation became a 

point of outfit and rendezvous for many of the war parties 

that laid waste the frontier settlements of the English, from 

which they usually returned bringing prisoners and scalps. 

Many of these expeditions were led by Picquet himself. 

Thomas Mante in his history of the French war, says : 

' 'As to the Abbe Picquet, who distinguished himself so 
much by his brutal zeal, as he did not expose himself to 
any danger, he received no injury; and he yet lives justly 
despised to such a degree by every one who knows any- 
thing of his past conduct in America, that scarce any offi- 
cer will admit him to his table. However repugnant it 
must be to every idea of honor and humanity, not to give 
quarter to an enemy, when subdued, it must be infinitely 
more so, not to spare women and children. Yet such had 
often been the objects of the Abbe Picquet's cruel advice, 
enforced by the most barbarous examples, especially in the 
English settlements on the back of Virginia and Pennsyl- 
vania."^ 

He returned to France, where he died July 15, 1781. He 

was succeeded at La Presentation by La Garde, a Sulpician, 

and the mission was continued until broken up in 1760. 

The Oswegatchies continued to live on the south shore and 

on the islands at the head of the Rapids until 1806, when 

the proprietor of the lands caused their removal, a part 

going to St. Regis, and others returning to Onondaga. Some 

(1) In a biography by La Lande, of the Academy of 
Sciences, published in the Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses, 
(Lyons, 1819, p. 262), an account is given of the zealous 
partizan spirit of M. Picquet, "The war parties which de- 
parted and returned continually, filled the mission with so 
many prisoners, that their numbers frequently surpassed 
that of the warriors, rendering it necessary to empty the 
villages, and send them to headquarters." Robert East- 
burn, who was many months a prisoner here, wrote an 
account of his captivity, and confirms the above statement. 



CAPTURE OF OSWEGO BY MONTCALM. 35 

years since, the corner-stone of a building erected near the 
site of the present light-house, at the entrance of the har- 
bor at Ogdensburgh, was found in taking down the build- 
ing. It may now be seen over the door of a building 
erected for a State arsenal in tliat City, and bears the fol- 
lowing inscription : 

In nomine -\- Dei Omnipotentis 
Hide Jicibitationi initia dedit 
Frans Picquet. 1749. 
These premises remained standing when settlement 
began under title from the State, in 1796, and until long 
afterwards. They were fitted up for a store and for dwel- 
lings, until better could be built, and the site of the founda- 
tions may still be traced. 

OPERATIONS IN 1755-6 : CAPTURE OF OSWEGO. 

The war, which ended in the conquest of Canada, is 
without incident so far as relates to the Thousand Islands; 
but many events occurred upon this frontier, which became 
the thoroughfare of large armies, —the only communica- 
tion then known being by the river, between the settled 
parts of Canada and the upper lakes. 

In the summer of 1755, the French were engaged in 
strengthening the post at Frontenac, and later in the season 
at Niagara. The first detachment in going up was met by 
a party of Indians among the Islands, on the 1st of August. 
They had a number of scalps, and gave the first informa- 
tion received in Canada of the defeat of Braddock's army 
near Fort DuQuense a fortnight before. This success of 
the French determined many of the Indians to take up 



36 CAPTURE OF OSWEGO BY MONTCALM. 

^rms against the English, and many of the cannon cap- 
tured on that occasion, were used by the French at Niagara 
and elsewhere on the northern border during the following 
year. 

In 1756, considerable bodies of troops were sent from 
France, and in May, the Marquis de Montcalm, Gen. Bour- 
lamaque, two engineers, and an army of 1,350 regulars, 
1,500 Canadians and 250 Indians, ascended the river to 
Fort FronteDac, and M. de Yillers with 
500 men established a post of observation 
on Six-town Point, in the present town 
of Henderson, Jefferson County, — the 
outlines of which may still be plainly 
traced. It was square, built of upright 

^^ timbers, with bastions at the corners, 

\ Outline and sec- ^ -,-,■, -..^ ■, -, 

tion of a stockade and was surrounded by a ditch,— and 

in Henderson.'] at the time hidden from view by 
surrounding trees and bushes. This officer, who was cap- 
tain of the marine, was brave and prudent, and had greatly 
annoyed the English by pillaging their munitions, and 
obliging them to take great precautions in sending provis- 
ions to their troops at Oswego. 

Montcalm left Fort Frontenac for Point Peninsula, on 
the 5th of August, and on the 7th the French appeared 
before Oswego. There were at this time two forts at this 
place — Fort Ontario on the east side, and Fort Pepperell 
on the west. The latter then newly erected, was 120 feet 
square, — a rampart of earth and stone, 20 feet thick, and 
12 feet hight, besides the parapet. 




CAPTURE OF OSWEGO BY MONTCALM. 37 

The French began then* approaches on the 12th, and on 
the next day the English, having spiked their guns, and 
destroyed their provisions and ammunition, withdrew to 
the old fort on the eastern bank. This Colonel Mercer was 
also obliged to surrender on the 17th. The English force 
consisted of 2,400 men, who yielded upon terms dictated 
by Montcalm, with all their effects, munitions, arms and 
military stores. 

It is stated by English historians^, that notwithstanding 
the pledges of Montcalm, twenty of the garrison were 
given up to the Indians, by way of atonement for the loss 
of friends, and that all the sick in the hospital were 
scalped. At least one hundred men are said to have fallen 
victims to Indian ferocity after the surrender, the remain- 
der being taken down to Montreal, where they were mostly 
exchanged. The French did not attempt to hold this post 
after surrender, but most of the provisions were sent to 
Niagara and the artillery to Frontenac and Montreal. Ac- 
cording to Pouchot, the Government got small returns of 
the booty, as it was mostly stolen or converted to private 
use by the commissaries, stewards and other agents of the 
service, who lost no opportunity of enriching themselves 
at the King's expense. Some of the very articles captured, 
were sold back to the Government through contractors. 
Two sloops were set on fire by the French, and cast adrift 
upon the lake. The greater part of the French army re- 

(1) Entick, i, 452; Mante i, 72. See also Garneau, (a 
Canadian author,) iii, 67, 71. 



38 DESTRUCTION OF FORT FRONTENAC. 

turned a week afterwards to Montreal, and appeared later 
the same season upon Lake Champlain. 

DESTRUCTION OF FORT FRONTENAC, (1758). 

In August, 1758, Colonel John Bradstreet arrived at Os- 
wego with an army of 3,340 men, and crossed the Lake to 
Fort Frontenac, which he captured with a trifling loss. 
After destroying the fort, and securing what he could of 
the immense military stores there deposited, he returned 
without accident to Oswego. He repaired the works on 
the east side of the river at that place, which remained in 
British possession until surrendered under treaty in June, 
1796. 

EXPEDITION OF LORD AMHERST, (1760). 

The war between the French and English in North 
America, which begun in 1755, had led, by the end of 1759, 
to the reduction of Niagara, Ticonderoga, Crown Point, 
and Quebec. To complete the conquest, three expeditions 
were planned for 1760; one from Quebec, another by way 
of Lake Champlain, and a third by way of Oswego and 
the St. Lawrence River. The latter was placed under 
General Jeffrey Amherst, and the forces assembled at Os- 
wego were reported on the 5th of August, as consisting of 
the 1st and 3d batallion of Royal Highlanders, the 44th, 
46th and 55th regiments, the 4th batallion of the 60th, 8 
companies of the 77th, 5 of the 80th, 597 Grenadiers, an 
equal number of light infantry, 146 rangers, 3 batallions of 
the New York regiment, the New Jersej- regiment, 4 ba- 
tallions of the Connecticut regiment, and 157 of the Royal 



EXPEDITION OF LORD AMHERST. 39 

Artillery — amounting in all to 10,142 effective men, officers 
included. There were besides 706 Indian warriors under 
Sir William Johnson^. 

The first detachment of troops sailed in two vessels, the 
MohcMck and the Onondaga- , on the 7th, to take post at the 
entrance of the St. Lawrence. On the 13th all had em- 
barked, and on the evening of that daj'' they encamped at 
the head of the St. Lawrence^. Captain Loring, with the 
two vessels, who had been the first to leave Oswego, lost 
his way among the Islands, and while endeavoring to ex- 
tricate himself, the main army passed him. They however 
arrived a day or two after at Point au Baril, near the pres- 
ent village of Maitland, where the French the year before 
had built a dock, and established a fortified ship-yard. 
The grenadiers and row-galleys had in the meantime taken 
an advanced position at Oswegatchie, preparatory to an 
attack upon Fort Levis. 

This fort stood upon an island called Oraconenton by the 
Indians, and He Roy ale by the French, — about three miles 
below the mouth of the Oswegatchie, and near the middle 

(1) Knox gives the Indian force at one time as 1,330, be- 
longing to 17 different settlements or tribes, but it was 
reduced by desertion to 706, before the expedition left 
Oswego. {Campaigns, ii, 400, 402.) 

(2) According to Knox, the first of these carried 16 sixes 
and had 90 men; the latter carried 18 guns, of which four 
were 9-pounders and the rest sixes, Avith 100 men. 

(3) The army embarked on the two vessels, 177 bateaux, 
and 72 whale boats, besides further allowances for the- 
staff, hospital service and suttlers. Each bateau had 8 oars, 
6 paddles, and 4 setting-poles, and each whale boat 8 oars, 
12 paddles, and 2 setting poles. {Ih. ii, 401). 



Ifi DESCRIPTION OF FOBT LEVIS. 

of the channel, which it completely commanded. In mod- 
ern times, it is known as Chimney Island, from the ruins of 
the French works still visible upon it. 

The works upon this island were begun under the direc- 
tion of the Chevalier de Levis^, in the summer of 1753, and 
finished in 1760 by Pouchot. A map given by Mante 
shows that the border of the island was set with the trunks 
of trees having their tops still on, and firmly set in the 
ground, so as to present an impenetrable abattis of brush, 
on every side but the landing, at the lower end. Within 
this was a breastwork of earth, and behind this a deep 
ditch filled with water, through the middle of which there 
run a stockade of strong sharpened pickets, closely set and 
sloping outwards. Inside of the ditch stood the fort proper, 
consisting of a timber parapet, filled with earth, with aline 
of strong sharpened pickets sloping out over the ditch, and 
platforms for cannon, and in the centre of the works the 
magazines and quarters. The lower point of the island 
was not included within the ditch and parapet, but had 
defensive works sufficient to prevent the landing of boats. 

Accounts of La Presentation and of Fort Levis by vari- 
ous writers, are given in our History of St. Lawrence 
and Franklin counties, but our limits will admit of only a 
few. A small church stood near the head of Gallop Island, 
a short distance below the fort, at the time when this post 
was taken. The English finding a scalp displayed in the 

(1) The Due de Levis after his return, served with dis- 
tinction in Europe. In 1783 he was made a Marshal of 
France, and the next year a Peer. He died in 1787. 



CAPTURE OF A FRENCH VESSEL. U 

building, burned it to the ground. The outline of the foun- 
dations of this church can still be traced. 

The events attending the reduction of this fort — the 
last that offered any resistance in Canada, may be learned 
from the following accounts: one by Mante, an English 
historian of approved credit, and the other by Pouchot, the 
French officer who defended the fort, and afterwards wrote 
a history of the war, that was published after his death. 
The great length of the latter will make it necessary to 
summarize. 

Mante, after describing the movements of the English 
army as above given, sa^'s:^ 

"All this while, one of the enemy's vessels kept hover- 
ing about the army; and as Captain Loriug had not yet got 
into the right channel, it became necessary for the safet}' of 
the army, either to compel this vessel to retire, or to take 
her. The General was therefore obliged to order Colonel 
Williamson, with the row gallies, well manned, to do one 
or the other. On the 17th, the gallies- advanced with the 
utmost intrepidity, under a heavy fire from the enemy; but 
it did not in the least dampen the ardor of the assailants; 
their fire was returned with such resolution and bravery, 
that after a severe contest of almost four hours, the French 
vessel str> ck her colors. She mounted ten twelve pound- 
ers, and had on board 100 men, twelve of whom w^ere 
killed or wounded. The General immediateh' named the 
vessel the 'Williamson,' in honor of the Colonel, and to per- 
petuate the memorvof so gallant an action. The same day 
the vessel proceeded to Oswegatchie, from whence it was 

(1) History of the Late War in North America. By Thos. 

Mante, 303. 

(2) According to Knox, four of the gallies each carried a 
brass twelve pounder, and one a howitzer. The vessel 
mounted one 18, seven 12, and two 8 pounders, with four 
swivels, and had 100 men and board. She discharged 72 
rounds, and the galley 118. (Campaign, ii, 409.) 

3 



J^ INVESTMENT OF FORT LEVIS. 

necessary to reconnoitre Isle Roj^al, so that it was noon the 
next day before tlie army could proceed. ^ 

Fort Levi stood on an island, which was otherwise very 
strongly fortified. Though the reduction of Fort Levi could 
be of little service merely as a fort, yet it was certainly of 
too much consequence to be left in the rear of the army ; 
besides the number of pilots, perfectly acquainted with the 
navigation of the River St. Lawrence, M^hich the taking 
of the garrison prisoners Avould aiford, was alone a suf- 
ficient motive for attacking it. It was therefore invested 
that very evening. Whilst the English were passirg the 
point, the French kept up a very smart cannonade upon 
and destroj^ed one of the row-gallies and a few boats, and 
killed two or three men : but notwithstanding the fire, and 
an uninterrupted continuance of it, the fort was so com- 
pletely invested by the 20th, by the masterly disposition of 
the troops, as to make it impossible for the garrison to 
escape. 

Captain Loring had arrived the day before, with his two 
vessels, and the Williamson brig, and the batteries being 
now ready, the general, on the 23d, determined to assault 
the fort, that as little time as j)ossible might be wasted on 
it. He therefore ordered the vessels to fall down the 
stream, post themselves as close to the fort as possible, and 
man their tops well, in order to fall upon the enemy, and 
prevent their making use of their guns: whilst the greaa- 
diers rushed in with their broadswords and tomahawks, 
fascines and scaling ladders, under cover of three hundred 
of the light infantr}^ who were to fire into the embrasures. 

The grenadiers received their orders with a cheerfulness 

(1) Israel Putnam, then a Lieut. Colonel, was in the expe- 
dition, and an account of his exploits is given by his biog- 
rapher, David Humphrey, which is altogether too ridicu- 
lous and improbable for serious notice. According to this 
authority, ( ? ) he had undertaken with 1000 men, in fifty 
batteaux. to board the French vessel, and putting himself 
in the van, he approached with beetle and wedges, crept 
under the stern of the vessel, and secured the rud- 
der so that it could not be used. "The people on board the 
ship, beholding the good countenance with which they 
approached, ran one of the vessels on shore and struck the 
colors of the other!" 



CAPTUBE OF FORT LEVIS. Jf3 

that might be regarded as a sure omen of success: and 
with their usual alacrity, prepared for the attack, waiting 
in their shirts till the ships could take their proper sta- 
tions. This the AVilliamson brig, commanded by Lieuten- 
ant Sinclair, and the Mohawk, by Lieutenant Phipps, soon 
did; and both sustained and returned a yeiy heavy fire. 
But he Onondaga,in which was Captain Loring. by some ex- 
traordinary blunder, ran aground. The enemy discoyering 
his distress, plied her with such unceasing show ers of great 
and small arms, that Captain Loring thought proper to 
strike his colors, and sent Thornton, his master, on shore, 
to the enemy, who endeavored to take possession of the 
vessel ; but by Colonel Williamson's observing it, he turned 
upon them a battery, which obliged them to desist from 
the undertaking. The General then ordered Lieutenant 
Sinclair from the Williamson brig, and Lieutenant Pen- 
nington, with two detachments of grenadiers under their 
command, to take possession of the Onondaga, and they 
obeyed their orders with such undaunted resolution, that 
the English colors were again hoisted on board of her. 
But the vessel after all, could not be got off, and was there- 
fore abandoned about midnight. The English batteries, 
however, put a stop to any further attempt of the enemy 
to board her. Captain Loring being wounded, was in the 
meantime sent ashore. This accident of the Onondaga's 
running aground, obliged the General to defer for the 
present his plan of assault, but this delay proved rather a 
fortunate event, as it saved a great deal of blood, for on 
the 25th, M. Pouchot, the commandant, beat a parley, de- 
manding Avhat terms he might expect, to which no answer 
was returned, but that the fort must be immediately given 
up, and the garrison surrendered prisoners of war, and but 
ten minutes were given for a reply. These terms were re- 
ceived within the ten minutes^ ; and Lieutenant-Colonel 
Massey, with the grenadiers, immediately took possession 
of the place. 

The loss of the English before it, was twenty-one killed 
and nineteen wounded. The first shot from the English 
battery killed the French officer of artillery^. Eleven more 
were killed afterwards, and about forty wounded. The 

(1) Pouchot says "half an hour." 

(2) M. Bertrand, who was standing by the side of Pou~ 
chot, when a cannon ball passed through his body. 



U BIS ASTRO JIB VOYAGE. 

garrison, except the pilots, for the sake of whom 
chiefly the place had been attacked, were sent to New 
York; and the General named the fort Fort William 
Augustus. 

At this point, the horde of savages desired to murder 
and plunder the garrison, but being denied the privilege, 
they mostly abandoned the expedition and returned home, 
except about a hundred and seventy, who remained with 
the army, and were rewarded with medals. The English 
remained till the 30th, employed in leveling the batteries, 
and repairing the boats and rafts for the artillery, which 
was now embarked with the necessary stores ; and at noon 
of the 31st, the General with his army proceeded on their 
perilous voyage down the rapids. The}' were not well ac- 
quainted with these dangers, and in passing the Cedar 
Rapids, 29 boats belonging to the regiments, 17 whale 
boats, 17 artillery boats, and one row galle}" were dashed to 
pieces, with the loss of 88 men. Night coming on the re- 
mainder of the army delayed the passage till morning, 
when, learning from the sad experience of the day before, 
the remaining -boats were passed down singly and in safety. 

Returning to our French authority; MM. de Yandreuil 
and de Levis determined at the beginning of March, 1760, 
to send Pouchot upon the ice, to take command upon 
Oraconenton Isle, and to recall M. des Andronis, an engi- 
neer who had been there since September. With scanty 
resources but large promises, he sent out from Montreal on 
the 17th of March, with the Abb6 Picquet, five men and 
three sleds. He found at the fort a hundred and fifty 
militia, six Canadian officers, M. Bertrand, an officer of 



ACCOUNT OF THE SURRENDER. 45 

artillery, MM. Celerons brothers, La Boulanderie, De 
Bleury, and De Poilly, Colonial cadets, and on the river 
above, two French corvettes, under La Force and La Bro- 
querie, with their crews of 180 men. The barracks, maga- 
zines and quarters were built block house fashion, and 
covered with plank. The works were still unfinished, and 
Pouchot set himself to the task of putting the place in as 
complete defense as his means would allow. The timber 
work of the main parapet was filled inside with earth 
brought from off the island, as they had none to spare, and 
they made other additions, which he specifies in detail. 

During the summer he received only a hundred more 
militia, who came to bring up provisions, and of these at 
least twenty deserted with batteaux belonging to the fort. ^ 
His record recites the incidents that occurred from day to 
day. He was early informed of the arrival of General 
Amherst at Oswego, and of his movements, as his plans 
advanced. Every day had its rumors and its Indian inter- 
views, and among his dusky visitors were some ' 'suspected 
of painting in two colors," i. e. of being friendly to both 
sides, but true to neither. 

Scouting parties from each army hung around the en- 
campments of the other, and now and then a prisoner 
would be brought in and questioned as to what he knew. 
Their statements were, of course, only as to what they had 
seen or heard — and told of the strokes of oars heard day 

(1) One loyal Canadian father came a few days after to 
return his son, who was one of these deserters. The lad 
was killed in the battle. 



1^6 ACCOUNT OF THE SURRENDER. 

after day, as the EiDgiish army were passing Oneida Lake — 
of wagons passing continually laden with provisions and 
camp equipage — of heavy cannon, and of camps. Another 
Indian would tell of war-parties from distant tribes on 
their way to join one or the other army, and gradually, as 
the heat of summer came on, the news of the invasion 
became more definite, and the extent and resources of its 
army came to be tolerabi}' well known. 

The Indians unable to bear arms, fled for safety, and no 
crops were planted that j'ear around La Presentation, as it 
was doubtful whether they would reap the harvest. 

Finally, about the first days of August, some Indians 
came down from Toniata, who had seen the camp fires of 
the English army among the Thousand Islands, and some 
had ventured on board the gi'eat English vessels, to try the 
experiment as to whether the English would reall)"" kill 
peaceable Indians, as they had been told. It was not long- 
before the English army was at Point au Baril, and its van 
guard at La Presentation. On the 17th of August, accord- 
ing to Pouchot, the Outaouaise, under command of M. La 
Force, was attacked by six barges each carrying thirty men 
and a twelve pounder, and after an engagement of three 
hours he surrendered. 

The movements of the English from daj' to day until 
the surrender, — their probable plans, and the way in 
which these intentions should be thwarted, occup}' many 
pages of his narrative, and do not differ materially from 
the account already given. The English took possession 
of both shores, and of the neighboring islands, and threw 



ACCOUNT OF THE SURRENDER. 47 

up earthworks as in a regular siege. lu tlie cannonade by 
which the English vessels were disabled, and in the most 
serious moments of the fight, the Indians, who were 
perched on the earthworks and on every available point of 
view along the shores, took the liveliest interest in the 
scene, — their sympathies being all on the side of the ves- 
sels, because they bore the names of their tribes, and had 
Indians painted on their flags. But when they saw these 
vessels disabled, and their colors struck, they made furious 
cries, and became frantic with rage. They accused the 
English of cowardice, and boldly declared them to be 
inferior to the French. 

According to Pouchot, the cannonade on the last day 
lasted until his powder was nearly all gone, and when 
he surrendered he had fort}^ men killed and wounded. 
The fort was several times on fire, and towards the last 
the English began to throw red-hot balls, firepots and 
carcasses, which, in their wooden walls, they could no 
longer withstand. When the English entered, some sixty 
militia men stood around, with handkerchiefs tied around 
their heads, — their coats off, and necks bare as was the 
custom of the peasantry of the country. ' ' Where is your 
garrison? " they enquired, and the}" could hardly believe 
it when told them that these militia were almost the onXj 
force that the fort had had. ^ 

(1) Knox says that the garrison consisted of 2 captains, 
6 subalterns, and 291 men^all ranks, and doubtless those of 
vessels included. Their loss had been a Lieut, of artiller}', 
and 12 men killed, and 35 wounded. The English loss 
was 21 killed and 23 wounded. The fort contained 12 
twelve — 2 eighteen — 2 six — 13 four and 4 one pounders, 
and 4 brass six pounders. {Campaigns, ii, 408.) 



Jt8 08WEGATGHIE UNDER THE ENGLISH. 

General Amherst treated Poiicliot with great civility, 
and in a private interview of an hour, tried to learn from 
him something about the situation of the country below, 
but he found him anything but communicative upon the 
subjects he most desired to know. The English took 
thirty-six pilots as guides for the rapids, and sent all the 
rest of the garrison by way of Oswego to New York. 
Belle-Garde, the priest at La Presentation, volunteered to 
stay to care for the wounded, and sometime after went 
down to Montreal. 

OSWEGATCHIE UNDER THE ENGLISH. 

The English continued to occupy Oswegatchie as a trad- 
ing post until 1796, and during the Revolution, it was a 
point of some importance as a place for the storage of sup- 
plies, and the transfer of freight from boats to vessels. 
Although the St. Lawrence River had been declared the 
boundary by the Treaty of 1783, the British held possession 
of the whole line of posts on the northern frontier to 
secure as they claimed, the rights of certain British sub- 
jects. In the absence of authority to prevent it, the 
owners of land under purchase from the State suffered 
great damages from timber thieves, who operated exten- 
sively and without the least restraint. A mill on the 
Oswegatchie owned by one Verne Francis Lorimier, a half 
pay captain, did an extensive business in this line, but the 
remonstrances of proprietors obtained no relief. The 
usual plea when these complaints were brought to the 
attention of officials was, that they had no jurisdiction in 



SURRENDER UNDER THE TREATY. J^d 

the matter and that relief should be sought in some higher 
authority. 

According to the terms of "Jay's Treaty," all the posts 
within the United States were to be given up on or before 
June 1, 1796. Mr. Nathan Ford, agent of Samuel Ogden, 
the proprietor, took possession, and at once began im- 
provements with an energy that could not fail of success. 
During his absence the first winter, the Canadians came 
over, held a town meeting, elected civil and military otO.- 
cers and opened a land-office, for selling and settling his 
lands; but he made short work with these squatters and 
their title, and the settlement grew rapidly until its pros- 
perity was checked for a time by the embargo and the war. 

CARLETON ISLAND A2s"D ITS FORT. 

This Island was called bj' the 
French "lie aux Chexreaux,'' and 
by the English ''Buck Island," 
or "Beer Island, '' and after 1777, 



r„ , ^ , , ~""""; — t; " Carleton Island," the latter be- 
yi'ort Carleton and a Sec- 
tion of the Wo^'ks.~\ ing in honor of Sir Guy Carleton, 

(Lord Dorchester) first Governor-General of the Canadas. 
It stands near the middle of the south channel, about 
three miles below the Railroad depot at Cape Vincent, and 
contains 1,274 acr.s. At the head of the Island is a low 
peninsula, with a harbor on each side, behind which it 
rises to a terrace some sixty feet above the River. A num- 
ber of stone chimneys upon this bluff, attract the notice of 
travellers, and around these there runs an excavation in 




50 CARLETON ISLAND, AND ITS FORT. 

the limestone rock, and a stone parapet, which mark the 
site of a Fort now in ruins. 

To clear up the obscurity that has hitherto hung like a 
cloud of oblivion over the history of this Island, we have 
recently sought access to the Archives of the Dominion 
Government, at Ottawa, and from the records there found, 
aue now able to present a more exact account than has 
hitherto been published, concerning this place and its forti- 
fications. 

In 1872, Mr. Douglas Brymner, of the Department of 
Agriculture and Statistics, was directed to make inquiries 
concerning the Public Records, Documents and Official 
Papers in manuscript, illustrating the History and Progress 
of Society in Canada, and a sum of money was voted for 
the purpose of making preliminary researches. From two 
Reports which he has made, ^ it will be seen that he visited 
many repositories of these Records, and made known the 
nature and extent of their resources, a part of which have 
been placed in the custody of that Department. A very 
satisfactory beginning has been made in their arrangement, 
and when fully bound and indexed, they will afford a 
source of historical information of inestimable value to the 
country. Among these papers, were about eight tons, from 
the office of the Military Secretary at Halifax, extending 
from 1760 down to about 1873. Besides these original 
papers, which are in excellent preservation, an extensive 
series of papers is in course of copying from English 

(1) Reports of the Minister of Agriculture, 1872; pp. 171- 
174; and 1873, pp. 151-171. 



IMPORTANCE OF CARLETON ISLxiND. 51 

Archives, and of these 233 volumes known as the "Haldi- 
mand Papers" have been secured. It is understood that 
the Dominion Government will continue this attention to 
the preservation of its history, and in the meantime, it is 
gratifying to know, that the papers actually secured are in 
a depository absolutely safe from casualty, and under the 
most intelligent care. 

From these papers, from the '' Simcoe Papers, " in the 
Library of Parliament, and from other sources, we are able 
to give the following history. The Island was wholly un- 
occupied by the French, excepting as a transient stopping- 
place. Its fine harbors at its head, were mentioned by 
Charlevoix in 1721, and in 1757 a guard of twelve men 
was stationed there, to give notice of any approach by the 
English. 1 

None of the historians on either side mention it in 1760, 
as they certainly would have done, had it been of the 
slightest importance, and it was not until it became proba- 
ble that the St. Lawrence might become a Fi^ontier, that 
we find a motive for a military work at this place. 

The earliest date referring to this Island that we have 
found, in that period is in July, 1777, when Buck Island 
is mentioned as a place beginning to be occupied for mili- 
tary purposes, but still without fortifications, and only a 
point of rendezvous and supply for various military expe- 
ditions. 2 

On the 14th of August, 1777, Gen. Carleton speaks of 

(1) Hough's Translation of Pouchot's Memoirs, i, 229. 

(2) Colonial History of New York, viii, 719. 



63 IMPORTANCE OF CARLETON ISLAND. 

goods being sent to Deer Island for shipment to Niagara, 
and on the 5th of September, refers to the retreat of St, 
Leger from Fort Stanwix, and the importance of a suffi- 
cient guard for provisions and stores. 

Early in the Spring of 1779, Lieuts. McClellan and Har- 
denburgh, of the 5th N. Y, Regiment, were sent by way 
of tlie Black River to surprise tlie British post at Oswe- 
gatchie, and partly to draw off the Oneida warriors, lest 
they should be disturbed by the expedition against the In- 
dians of Western New York, made by General Sullivan in 
that year. They failed to surprise the garrison, but from 
two Onondaga Indians whom they took prisoners, they 
learned the following facts, as given in their own words : 

' ' That the last week we had left that place [Buck Island] 
and that they were fortifying themselves.' He further 
saitli that ''the garrison consisted of Sir John Johnson's 
Regiment, making in the whole not more than 200 men, 
and that they had a disorder among them, of which they 
died very fast, and that no other reason made him and 
some others leave that place." He further says, "that 
yesterday Gen, Haldimand's aid-de-camp passed that place 
with orders to the commanding officers of the back posts. "^ 

An order-book of that period, ^ under date of May 14, 

kept at Fort Haldimaud, on Carleton Island, speaks of a 

fort, alarm posts, the duties of engineers and artisans, and 

the usual routine of garrison life. There was then a picket 

guard at the lower end of the Island, and a sharp lookout 

was kept for the "Rebels " understood to be lurking in the 

vicinity. On the 4th of June of that year, the King's 

(1) Clinton Papers. No. 2,285. State Library, Albany. 

(2) Owned by Judge J. F. Pringle, of Cornwall, On- 
tario, who has kindly furnished us notes from this record, 
which belonged to an ancestor. 



CARLETON ISLAND.— RELICS FO UND. 53 

birthday was celebrated by the Royal Highland Emigrants 
and Royal Yorkers,- and at noon, seven great guns were 
fired on the Fort, answered by the ships in the harbor — 
seven each — and in the whole a salute of twenty one guns. 

Other orders forbid any one from wandering from the 
post, and the giving of liquors, under penalty of corporal 
punishment, or expulsion from the Island. 

From hundreds of papers containing accounts, receipts, 
orders, reports and other business transactions, which we 
have examined, it appears that during the war, and for 
some years afterward, Carleton Island was the principal 
naval station on the Lake, and that there was generally a 
small military force, aijd a considerable number of artifi- 
cers at that post. In January, 1771, a Mr, Hogel was sent 
up to take the oath of each of the Tory refugees there, 
declaring with whom they first enlisted, and under whom 
they had engaged to serve. On the 23d of April of that 
year, an armorer was ordered to that place^ and all the 
arms from the upper posts needing repairs were to be sent 
down and stored until he arrived. 

We might give an abundance af citations from these 
papers, showing the names and numbers of those employed 
on the Island, in the marine and civil service, from tlie ac- 
counts of that day. Judging from the names, they were 
f;hiefly Scotch, except those engaged in the bateau service, 
all of whom were French. In the season of 1787, ac- 
counts were allowed for 234 bateaux-loads from Lachine 
to Carleton Island, arriving in thirty four companies of 
twelve, or less each, and for which $6,748 were paid. The 



5I^ TITLE OF GARLETON ISLAND, 

price of a b iteau-load was usually about $86, aud during 
this period there were scarcely any arrivals at Kingston, 
except from this Island. The accounts were almost always 
kept both in Sterling money and in Halifax Currency ; the 
former rated at 4^. M., and the latter at ^s. to the dollar. 
The Ship Limnaide, the Scow Seneca, and Sloops Caldwell, 
Mohawk, etc. , are mentioned as objects of expense. 

The Senior Naval Officer on the Lake at that time, was 
David Betton ; the Assistant Commissary-Greneral, Neil Mc- 
Lean ; the Assistant Barrack Master, Tliomas Sparham; 
the Store-keeper, James Clark, with James Clunes, and 
Win. McDonnell as assistants, and Master Builder, Richard 
Wingate. It would be easy indeed, to fish from the Sea of 
Oblivion scores of names, of high and low degree, down to 
the humblest laborer, and the chimne3^-sweep ; in fact the 
accounts of the personage last named, afford a knowledge 
of the number of Officers, of Men, of Rooms, and of Chim- 
neys, at every pay-day, with as much precision as a mus- 
ter-roll would give the force present for duty, and the 
Chimneys still standing are silent witnesses of the accura- 
cy of these accounts. 

On a subsequent page, we shall present a further account 
of the final evacuation of the Island as a place of militar}- 
defense. 

A military class-right for 500 acres, was located at the 
head of the Island Oct. 2d, 1786, by William Richardson, 
and in the grant made to Macomb in 1791, the Island was 
reserved by the State, probably in anticipation of some 



LAND TITLES. 55 

public use, as was also a small tract at Tibbet's Point, near . 
Cape Vincent. In the uncertainties that attended the early 
period of the late war, the availability of the works on 
Carleton Island for defense was made a subject of official 
notice by military engineers, in case of possible need. 

TITLE TO THE ISLANDS LYING WITHIN THE STATE OF 
NEW YORK. 

In the original contract between the State and Alexan- 
der Macomb, in 1791, the islands above Morristown were 
included, but owing to the uncertainty^ of boundaries they 
were not patented until long afterwards. On the 16tli of 
Februarj^ 1833, all the islands within the State between 
Morristown and the west end of Grindstone island, were 
granted to Elisha Camp, of Sackets Harbor, being sup- 
posed to contain in all, 15,402.9 acres of land. All titles 
must therefore be traced to this proprietor, within these 
limits. 

At an earlier period, these islands had been claimed by 
the St. Regis Indians, and were leased by their- agents to 
British subjects, for a long term of years. Under this 
title some of them were occupied by settlers, acknowledg- 
ing British authority, at the time when the boundary was 
settled in 1818. When the title in 1823 passed to a 
private owner, difficulties arose which threatened to result 
in serious trouble, and which became known in the local 
annals as — 

''The War of Orindstone Island.'' 

A quantity of pine timber had been cut and prepared 
for rafting, which was claimed by the patentee, as also by 



■56 PETER PENET AND HIS IMPOSTURES. 

those having custody. Finding it probable that an at- 
tempt to serve legal process would be resisted, the Sheriff 
procured a detachment of Militia from the town of Lyme, 
under Capt. Seymour Green. The timber had mostly been 
passed over into British waters, and after some firing, the 
party in charge of the timber dispersed. One of the 
Militia men was accidentally killed by his own gun. The 
question was brought into the courts, and finally settled by 
arbitration. 

PETER PENET. 

Whoever looks on the map of Northern New York, will see 
a tract of land, square in form, with the sides running coin- 
cident with the principal cardinal points, and its northwest 
corner resting upon the St. Lawrence at the mouth of 
"French Greek:' This is 'Tenet's Square," and hath its 
little romance of history, every word of which is true. 

The Revolution attracted to America many French ad- 
venturers, some of whom had much more to gain than to 
lose, and among these was one Peter Penet, of Nantes, 
France. He arrived at Providence, R. I. , by way of Cape 
Francois, (W. I.,) in December, 1775, having letters and 
credentials which at first secured him some attentions ; and 
he obtained from a committee of Congress, a contract in 
the name of De Plairne, Penet & Co. , for supplying a large 
amount of arms from France. He also made separate 
propositions to several of the Colonies for powder, arms, 
and ordnance, in the execution of which he proposed to 
ship a large amount of tobacco and other produce directly 
to France. He had various other speculations, all of which 



THE DREAM, AND ITS FULFILMENT 57 

proved visionary, and it soon appeared that he was only a 
needy adventurer, without capital or character. He suc- 
ceeded in procuring advances, which were not accounted 
for, and he may be justly called "The Confidence Man" 
of the Revolution. After the war he became an Indian 
trader, and acquired a great ascendency among the 
Oneidas. When these people M^ere holding a treaty with 
the State in 1788, for the cession of their lands, it was 
found expedient to consult with him, and to ask his aid in 
promoting these measures; and as they were stipulating 
the reservations to be made for themselves and friends, he 
"dreamed" that they would give him a tract of land that he 
should locate somewhere north of Oneida Lake. His 
dream was fulfiled in the gift of ten miles square, which 
bears his name, but before the grant was perfected, he fled 
from the country, and the title passed to a creditor. 

While operating upon the credulity of these simple peo- 
ple, he devised a "Plan of Government for the Oneidas" 
that was to lead them to that perfection to which few civil- 
ized communities attain. The national affairs were to be 
managed by a Grand Council ; all differences were to be 
settled by persons eminently wise and just ; a tract of land 
was to be rented, and the revenues were to pay all public 
charges, of whatever amount; no lands were ever to be 
alienated, and no cause of complaint was ever to arise. 
It was resolved, as the highest incentive to virtue, ' 'that as 
soon as convenient material can be procured, eighteen 
proper marks of distinction shall be given; three represent- 
ing the tribe of the Bear ; three the tribe of the Wolf ; and 
4 



58 SCHEME OF HAPPINESS. 

three the tribe of the Tortoise. The marks of the chiefs 
of war are, a green ribbon, striped on the side with red, to 
be worn on the left side. Nine marks of distinction for 
the chiefs of the councillors, with the mark of an Eagle on 
a red ribbon, to go round the neck, and hang between the 
breasts. Be it remembered that those chiefs, whether war- 
riors or councillors, who wear this badge, must be men of 
truth, honor and wisdom, to discharge the great trust of 
national business now put in their hands ; and whether at 
home, or abroad, when these marks are seen, it will be 
remembered that they are this Great Council, and great 
respect will, at all times, be shown them." 

This scheme of government, comprising twenty articles, 
contemplated the appointment of Peter Penet, their "true 
and trusted friend, adopted and chosen Agent forever," as 
their principal executive agent, and being duly signed by 
marks (not one being able to read,) this State Paper was 
published with great formality in the Albany newspapers. 
It is needless to add, that it had not so much as a begin- 
ning of actual realization^. 

Some time after Penet had absconded, he made his ap- 
pearance in San Domingo; and at the time of the negro 
insurrection there, he invited his countrymen to buy lands 
on his estates in Northern New York. He exhibited a map 
with fortified cities, on the north shore of Oneida Lake, 
and by false representations, induced some to purchase 

(1) Notices of Peter Penet and oj his Operations among the 
Oneida Indians, By Franklin B. Hough, Lowville, N. Y. , 
1866, p. 36, with map. 



THE CASTORLAND COLONY. 59 

lands. One of these unfortunates, upon arriving in New 
York, and learning how cruelly he had been deceived, was 
unable to bear up under the affliction, and died by his own 
hand^. It is from Penet that this place on the St. Law- 
rence derived the name of "French Creek." 

The successors to his title selected the mile-square near- 
est the river, as the site for a town, and caused it to be sur- 
veyed into ten- acre squares, except the quarter of a mile 
directly upon the river, in which each of these lots were 
further sub- divided into four. It was afterwards laid out 
as the village of "Cornelia" (named from Madame Juhel), 
but since the organization of the town of Clayton, in 1833, 
it has borne this name^. 

In early times "French Creek" was a noted point for 
smuggling; and especially in the embargo of 1807-8, when 
almost all of the region north of Black River was a forest, 
it became a principal point for importing goods, and for 
sending potash out of the country. It was found impossi- 
ble to guard this frontier so as to prevent crossing with 
teams on the ice in winter, or by boats in summer, and the 
most that the authorities attempted, was to guard the roads 
in the interior, and intercept such contraband goods as they 
could discover, 

THE CASTORLAND COLONY, 

The first road from the Mohawk settlements to the St, 
Lawrence at French Creek, ran in a nearly direct line to 

(1) Castorland Journal, MSS. 

(2) The town was named from John M. Clayton, a Sen- 
ator in Congress, from the State of Delaware. 



60 CASTLES IN TEE AIR. 

the High Falls on the Black River, and was surveyed and 
opened by a colony established there, that deserves a pas- 
sing notice. 

In the summer of 1793, a company was formed in Paris, 
in the midst of the wildest excesses of the French Revolu- 
tion, with the design of founding a colony on a tract of 
land upon the east and north sides of the Black River, in 
Lewis and Jefferson Counties, which they had bought from 
William Constable, a partner in the great Macomb Pur- 
chase. A stock-company having 6,000 shares was formed, 
at 800 livres Tournois^ per share. The tract was bought 
for 630,000 acres, but on survey was found to contain but 
a third of this amount. Two Cities were to be laid out : — 
''Basle," at the head of boat navigation near the present 
village of Dexter, — and "Castoi'ville," at the lower fall on 
Beaver River, now the hamlet of "Beaverton," in Lewis 
County. The tract was to be surveyed into 12,000 farms 
of 50 acres each, and each City into % like number of lots. 
The lucky owners of shares, were each to have immediate 
possession of a farm, and a lot in each City, while the 
alternate farms and lots were to remain undivided for a 
period of twenty-one years. The whole having then been 
vastly enhanced by their common industries, was to be 
then finally divided, and they would all be rich and happy. 

Their affairs were to be managed by a Director, (Pierre 
Chassanis, the inventor of the scheme), and a Board of 
Trustees in Paris, who were to hold monthly meetings, and 

(1) About $152.40. 



CA8T0RLAND COLONY SCHEMES. 



61 




order all things for the common good. They drew up a 

Constitution and a Code of Regulations, and published 

glowing descriptions of the country and its resources, from 

which it was plain to see how these things could be done, 

and how failure was impossible. 

They chose the Beaver as the 
emblem of their Seal, and assumed 
the name of "Z« Compagnie de 
New York,'' but were generally 
known as the Castorland, or the 
Chassanis Company. 

They elected Simon Desjandins 
(who had held office under Louis 
XVI,) and Pierre Pharoux (an 
eminent architect,) to make the 
first explorations, and survey the 
{Seal of the Castorland tract for settlement. They were 
Colony.] ^Q keep the company in Paris mi- 

nutely informed of every event, but had very limited pow- 
er, and narrow means, depending in part upon a commer- 
cial adventure. ^ They came over in 1793, on the same 
vessel with Mark I. Brunei, then a young naval officer, 
obliged to leave France by the events of the Revolution, and 
the latter joined them as a volunteer on their first explo- 
rations. We cannot here follow the fortunes, or rather the 
misfortunes of this romantic speculation, which after con- 
siderable expenditure and much suffering, ended in a total 

(1) An extended account of this Colony is given in our 
History of Jefferson Co., 1^4, and Hisiort/ (f Lewis Co., 
1860. Since these were published, a full copy of the Jour- 
nal of these agents has been obtained from Paris, which 
has been translated and annoted, but not published. 



€£ THE ILLUSIONS VANISH. 

failure. Pharoux was drowned, Desjardins was super- 
seded by one Rodolph Tillier, who was still more incom- 
petent, and the management of the estate finally fell into 
the hands of James D. LeRaj" de Chaumont, one of the 
first stock holders, under whom permanent settlements 
began on an extensive scale. ^ Mr. Brunei of the first 
year, engaged in a survey of a canal from Lake Champlain 
to the Hudson, and in 1799 went to England, where he 
attained distinguished eminence as an inventor and a civil 
engineer. 

We learn from a printed programme that Desjardins 
afterwards devised a scheme for a great industrial estab- 
lishment on Point Peninsula ; but this City shared the same 
fate with Basle and Castorville. It is not a little amusing 
that "Castorville," a city which never existed except upon 
paper, is given upon one of the latest maps published by the 
United States Government. 

THE ST. LAWRENCE FRONTIER IN THE WAR OF 1812 — 15. 

The Condition of Settlements in 181^. 

When this war began, with the exception of small settle- 
ments a little below Cape Vincent, and here and there an 
inhabitant, almost the whole of the northern part of Jeffer- 

(1) The map of Jefferson Co., in "Chaumont Bay," and 
the town of "LeRoy," perpetuates the name of this propri- 
etor, while "Cape Vincent" is named from one son, "Alex- 
andria" from another, and "Theresa" from a daughter. He 
died in Paris, Dec. 31, 1841, in the 80th year of his age. 
The Castorland agents received a trust-deed of the Penet 
tract, and laid plans for great achievements, which, like 
every thing else they attempted, came to — 0. 



WAR OF IS 12. —ALARMS. 6S 

son County for miles back from the river, was an unbroken 
wilderness. In the vicinity of Morristown, and from 
thence down to St. Regis, scattered settlements had been, 
commenced some ten or twelve years before, and a consid- 
erable population had found homes. The Canada shore 
for the whole distance had been more or less settled since 
the year 1783, by loyalists from the United States. The 
privations that these people had suffered made neighbors 
welcome, and as a general rule they looked upon the set- 
tlements on the Southern shore with marked favor. We 
have heard many of the pioneers, who were still living in 
1852 and 1853, relate the kind offices rendered to them from 
over the river, when a helping hand was most needed, and 
the friendly visits made back and forth, at a time when 
neighbors were worth having 

Alai^ms. 

The declaration of war filled the country with alarm, 
and so terror-stricken were some, that they hastily fled into 
the back settlements, spreading consternation on their way, 
and leaving their houses open to any who might chose to 
enter. After a time, confidence began to return, until at 
length some settler ventured to cross the river by night, to 
call upon an old acquaintance. These visits gradually 
became more common, and by the time the war ended, old 
acquaintances had already been renewed ; the river was 
crossed by day -light, and as often as there was occasion, — 
and in short, they found that although legally enemies, 
they were still friends. 



64 CAPTURE OF CABLETON ISLAND. 

Carleton Island. 

Carleton Island remained in nominal possession of the 
British, until the declaration of war in June, 1812. The 
news had scarcely reached the frontier, when hostilities 
were begun in a small way by Captain Abner Hubfeard, a 
Revolutionary soldier, who, without authority, and with na 
aid but that of a man and a boy, made a descent upon the 
fort, and captured it without firing a shot. The garrison 
consisted of three invalid men and two women, who were 
taken prisoners. The next day a boat was sent to the fort 
for stores, and the buildings were afterwards burned. 

When news of these proceedings were received at Kings- 
ton, an attempt was made by way of retaliation to capture 
a citizen of Brownville, who happened to be in town on 
business, but he was forewarned by a friend, and escaped. 

Vessels on the St. Laiorence. — Affair of the Julia. 

Several trading vessels were caught at Ogdensburgh 
when the war began, and in attempting to escape to the 
Lake, two of them, the Sophia and Island Packet, were pur- 
sued by Provincial militia, overtaken and burned, near the 
foot of the Thousand Islands. The remainder returned to 
Ogdensburgh, filling the country with great alarm. It was 
apprehended that the British would fortify the islands, and 
thus command the river. To prevent the remaining ves- 
sels from passing up to the Lake, the British vessels Duke 
of Gloucester and Earl of Moira, of 14 and 10 guns respec- 
tively, were sent down to Prescott. This did not prevent 
an attempt to relieve the blockade, and the Julia, with a 



AFFAIR OF THE JULIA. 65 

long 33 pounder, two long 6's, and about sixty volunteers, 
tinder Lieut. Wells, was fitted out at Sackets Harbor. 
They met the "Duke" and "Earl" about twelve miles above 
Ogdensburgh, close under the Canada shore, and a cannon- 
ade began which continued about three hours. Night 
coming on, the "Julia" proceeded on to Ogdensburg, 
having suffered but little, and with neither killed or 
wounded. This vessel lay moored in the stream before 
Ogdensburgh, in charge of Sailing Master Vaughan, until 
September 5, when, availing themselves of an armistice, 
all the vessels passed up to the Lake. Several of these 
were afterwards employed as armed vessels on the Lake, 
their names being changed, and such alterations made as 
this service required. 

Expedition to Oananoqui, as described by Mr. Lossing. 

While Chauncey was commencing vigorous measures 
for the construction of a Navy at the east end of Lake 
Ontario, the lard forces there and on the St. Lawrence 
were not idle, although no important service was performed 
there during the remainder of 1812. The vigilant Captain 
Forsyth, made a bold dash into Canada late in September. 
Having been informed that a large quantity of ammunition 
and other munitions of war were in the British store- 
house at Gananoqui, on the shores of the Lake of the 
Thousand Islands, in Canada, and not heavily guarded, 
Forsyth asked and obtained permission of General Brown 
to make an attempt to capture them. He organized an 
expedition consisting of seventy Riflemen and thirty-four 
Militia, the latter officered by Capt. Samuel McNitt, Lieut. 
Brown, and Ensigns Hawkins and Johnson. They set out 
from Sackets Harbor on the 18th of September, and on the 
night of the 20th, they left Cape Vincent in boats, thread- 
ing their way in the dark among the ui)per group of the 
Thousand Islands. They landed a short distance from the 
village of Gananoqui, only ninety-five strong, without op- 
position; but as they approached the town, they were 



€6 EXPEDITION TO GANONOQUL 

•confronted by a part}' of sixty British regulars and fifty 
Canadian mi itia, drawn up in battle order, who poured 
heavy volleys rpon them. Forsyth dashed forward with 
his men without firing a shot until within a hundred yards 
of the enemy, when the latter fled pell-mell to the town, 
closely pursued by the invaders. There the fugitives ral- 
lied and renewed the engagement, when they were again 
compelled to flee, leaving ten of their number dead upon 
the field, several wounded, and eight regulars and four 
militiamen ;is prisoners. Forsyth lost only one man killed, 
and one slightly wounded. For his own safety, he broke 
up the bridge over which he had pursued the eiiemy, and 
then returned to his boats, bearing away, as the spoils of 
his victory, the eight regulars, sixty stand of arms, two 
barrels of fixed ammunition, comprising three thousand 
ball cartridges, one barrel of gun powder, one of flints, 
forty-one muskets, and some other public property. In 
the store-house were found one hundred and fifty barrels 
of provisions; but having no means of carrying them 
away. Captain Forsyth applied the torch, and the store- 
house and provisions were consumed. The public property 
secured on this occasion, was given to the soldiers of the 
expedition, as a reward for their valor. ^ 

Encjagement in Kingston Harbor. 
Commodore Isaac Chauncey appeared on the lake on the 
8th of November 1813, with a fleet consisting of the Onei- 
da, {16), Conquest, Hamilton, Gov. Tompkins, Pert, Julia 
and Growler. The British force on the lake was then 
reputed to consist of the Royal Gem^ge, Earl of Moira, Prince 
Begent, Duke of Gloucester, Simcoe and Seneca. On the 10th 
he engaged the Royal George and the batteries on shore 
for an hour and forty-five minutes, but the wind being 
strong in-shore, he thought it imprudent to hazard an at- 

(1) Lossing's Field Book of the War of 1812, P. 372. 

Other accounts state that the landing was made about 
two miles above the village, and that twelve prisoners were 
taken away. 



8T0EY OF TOM GARNET. 67 

tack aud withdrew. This spirited engagement has been 
compared by Cooper to tlie assault upon Tripoli in the war 
with the Barbary States, to which, as he claims, it was 
not inferior, due allowance being made for the compar- 
ative force engaged. ^ 

Tom Oarnet. 

A singularly romantic incident was related to the writer 
when preparing his History of Jefferson County in 1853 
by Capt. Augustus Ford of Sackets Harbor, as having 
come under his personal knowledge on this occasion. Mr. 
Ford's reputation for veracity, was above suspicion and al- 
though more than eighty years of age, his memory was 
still clear and strong. 

Tom Garnet was the son of an English farmer, living 
about forty miles from Liverpool. He chose a partner for 
life, and was sent not long after marriage with an ox cart 
laden with wheat to Liverpool, to exchange for furniture 
and an outfit ; but was seized in the streets by a press gang, 
and despite his entreaties and resistance, was taken on 
board a frigate, about to sail for the East Indies, his cart 
and oxen remaining in the street, and himself unable to re- 
lieve anxieties at home by a single word of explanation. 

During seven long weary years, he was detained abroad, 
without an opportunity of exchanging letters with his fami- 
ly, or of knowing whether those most dear were dead or 
alive. At length, he was paid off and set on shore at Liver- 
pool. Sun-burnt by tropical heat, and haggard from hard 
service, he was so changed that his best friends would hard- 

(1) Naml History of the United States, ii. 333. 



68 8T0BY OF TOM GARNET. 

ly have known him. He had carefully saved his earnings, 
and having shunned the vices that sailors too often acquire, 
he had with him a considerable sum, for a man of his sta- 
tion, with which he was fondly hoping to gladden the 
hearts of loved ones at home, — if perchance they 'were still 
living. As night approached, fearing to call at an inn, 
lest his dress and appearance should excite suspicion that 
he mi^ht be a deserter from the fleet, he crept into a nook 

under a stack of straw, and spent the night. In the morn- 
ing, there was a dense fog, and not knowing the course he 
should take, he fell in with another press-gang, and was a- 
gain carried on board a vessel about to sail for the South 
American Coast. After some years, finding an opportunity 
he escaped, crossed the Andes, and at length, reaching an 
Atlantic port, he enlisted for a few months in an American 
ship, which soon after brought him to the United States. 

His crew was detailed for service on Lake Ontario, and 
he arrived at Sackets Harbor, in the fall of 1812; where he 
became one of the crew of the Oneida, under Lieut. Wool- 
sey. Here Mr. Ford became acquainted with him, and 
learned the strange story of his life. During twenty years 
he had been unable to gain the first word from home. He 
was of a kind, cheerful and obliging disposition, was 
strictly temperate, used no profane language, and was 
made Captain of the forecastle, from the entire confidence 
that was placed in his capacity and fidelity. In short, 
Tom Garnet was the universal favorite of the brig, and 
both oflBcers and men became strongly attached to him for 
his kindness of heart, intelligence and moral worth. 



aARNET.—NA VAL PREP ABA TI0N8. 69 

On the morning before the fleet of Chauncey sailed to 
meet the enemy near Kingston, Tom related to his 
comrades a dream he had the night before, in which 
his wife appeared to him as a disembodied spirit in 
Heaven, with a son, whom he had never seen, and told 
him he w^ould soon join them. His story was treated with 
levity ; but the calm and serious earnestness with which he 
related it, and the evident conviction he felt as to the pre- 
monition, checked hilarity. He proceeded to divide his 
wardrobe among his companions, and gave instructions 
about the disposal of the little property he possessed, as one 
about to die : yet his cheerfulness and alacrity were unabat- 
ed; although he evidently believed in the presentiment he 
had expressed, he seemed exhilarated in the welcome pros- 
pect of meeting the long-lost and dear partner of early 
hopes. 

The fleet sailed and engaged the enemj^'s batteries in the 
harbor of Kingston, the first shot from which was a nine- 
pound ball, which crossed the deck of the Oneida, and 
passed through the body of Tom Garnet at his post. He 
fell instantly dead, with the same smile upon his counten- 
ance which habit had impressed. 

Military and Naval Preparations upon the Lake, in 1813. 

The Cabinet plan of the Campaign of 1813 contemplated 
the assembling of a large army at Sackets Harbor, the cap- 
ture of Kingston and York, and finally a descent upon 
Montreal. Large bodies of troops were sent forward, and 
naval preparations were begun upon a most extensive scale. 



W PRIVATEERING. 

The plan of attack upon Kingston was abandoned early 
in the season, but the descent upon York was accomplish- 
ed in April, with disastrous result — for although it led to^ 
a temporary success, it cost the life of General Pike and 
many other brave officers and men, while it afforded no 
tenable foothold in Canada. It led in a few days to a re- 
taliatory expedition against Sackets Harbor, with no very 
important results. Half a million of dollars worth of Nav- 
al Stores were destroyed to prevent capture, and the invad- 
ing forces were hastily withdrawn. The retreat of militia 
along a road leading from the town, but apparently in the 
direction of the enemy's vessels, hastened their re-embarka- 
tion, and gave General Brown a reputation that continued 
till it carried him to the highest grade of promotion, and 
filled the country with his fame. 

Privateering on the St. Lawrence — Affair of Cranberry 

Creek, 
"On the 19th of July, 1813, the Neptune and Fox, the 
former a private armed boat, under Captain Samuel Dixon, 
mounted with one six-pounder and one swivel, and manned 
by twenty-four volunteers ; the latter a public armed boat, 
under Captain Dimock, with a detachment of twenty-one 
men from the 21st Regiment of Infantry, under Lieutenants 
Burbank and Perry, sailed from Sackets Harbor, with Let- 
ters-of -Marque from the Deputy Collector of the District, 
for a cruise on the St. Lawrence. This privateering expe- 
dition was fitted out by Marinus W. Gilbert, of Water- 
town, and others, and had for its object the cutting off of 
a detachment of the enemy's boats that were expected up 



AFFAIR OF CRANBERRY CREEK. 71 

the river, laden with stores. After touching at Cape Vin- 
cent and French Creek, they selected on the morning of 
the 17th a quiet nook in a creek among the Thousand 
Islands, where they landed for muster and review ; and the 
morning being delightfully pleasant, they employed them- 
selves in drying and putting in complete order their arms, 
and ammunition, and in cleaning out their boats. A small 
boat of each was sent out for intelligence, but returned 
without gaining any news. At 9 p. m. they hauled from 
the shore, manned a guard-boat to prevent surprise, and 
sent Lieutenant Hawkins to Ogdensburg for intelligence; 
and at 5 p. m. the next da}^, Messrs. Baldwin and Campbell 
arrived with news. At 9 they left Cranberry Creek, and at 
4 A. M. of the 18th, saw a brigade of British bateaux, con- 
voyed by his Majesty's gun-boat, the Spitfire, lying at Sim- 
mond's Landing, preparing to sail for Kingston. Upon this 
they pushed in for shore, and so completely surprised them 
that very few of the enemy escaped. The fifteen bateaux 
and the gun-boat were at once seized, without a shot being 
fired on either side. Previous to the attack. Lieutenant 
Perry, of the 9th, and Sergeant James, of Forsyth's com- 
pany, with twenty-seven volunteers, had landed to cut off 
retreat. At 9 a. m. the fleet landed in Cranberry Creek, in 
Alexandria, and at 11, sixty-nine prisoners were sent off to 
the Harbor, under a guard of fifteen men of the 21st, in 
charge of Lieutenant Burbank. The Spitfire was armed 
with a 12-pound carronade and a crew of fourteen men, 
with a large quantity of military stores. The bateaux had 
270 barrels of pork and 270 bags of pilot bread, which was 



72 AFFAIR OF CRANBERRY CREEK. 

landed on the 20tli to prevent spoiling. A request to the 
neighboring inhabitants for assistance was sent out, which 
brought in a few militia, who, however, mostly left the 
same night. At sunrise on the 31st, the enemy, to the num- 
ber of 350, with four gun-boats and one or two transports, 
were discovered in the creek; these were met by thirty 
men, and attacked while landing, others being stationed in 
different places to prevent their approach. A cannonade 
was commenced, and was kept up for some time ; two of 
the enemy's boats were so injured from our fire that most 
of the crew were compelled to leave them, and cut flags on 
the shore to stop the shot-holes. At 6 a. m. the enemy re- 
tired to their boats, and sent a flag with the demand of sur- 
render to save the effusion of blood, which was instantly 
rejected, and the firing recommenced. It appears that this 
was but an expedient to gain time, as the enemy hastily re- 
treated, carrying their dead and wounded. Their loss 
must have been considerable, from the quantity of blood 
seen where they embarked. Our loss was three, killed and 
wounded. After the action, trees were felled across the 
road and creek to prevent a new attack ; and on the after- 
noon of the next day, re-enforcements arrived, the boats 
w^hich had been scuttled were repaired, and on the 33d they 
left for Sackets Harbor, where they arrived on the 37th. 
While passing Tibbet's Point they encountered the Earl of 
Maria, were pursued and hit several times by her shot, but 
not captured. The gun-boat and several bateaux were 
sunk without consulting Captains Dimock or Dixon, and 



AFFAIR OF CRANBERRY CREEK. 73 

the owners ultimately lost most that was gained by the 
expedition."^ 

Canadian Accounts of. the Affair of Cranberry Creek. 

An account of the affair of Cranberry Creek, (some- 
times called Goose Bay,) is given by Christie, a Canadian 
author, differing slightly in dates and details, but not much 
in the result. He states that three gun-boats under Lieut. 
Scott, of the Ro5^al ISTavy, were dispatched from Kingston, 
with a detachment of the 100th Regiment, under Captain 
Martin, to intercept the American boats on their return. 
Another gun-boat joined them the next morning, with a 
detachment of the 41st Regiment under Major Frend, who 
assumed the command. On reaching the Creek, they tried 
to enter, but the channel was so narrow that the gun-boats 
could neither use their oars nor turn to bring their guns to 
bear. Being attacked from the shore, and finding the 
channel blocked up with trees, a portion of the troops 
effected a landing, but finding the Americans strongly 
posted, and their gun-boats useless, they retired from the 
unequal contest. Capt. Milnes, aid-de-camp to the com- 
mander of the forces, who had volunteered for the expedi- 
tion, was mortallj' wounded. 

Another Canadian- Historian says : ^ On the 

20th of July, 1813, some cruisers from Sackets 
Harbor, succeeded in surprising and capturing, at day- 

(1) IIongTCs Hist, of Jefferson Co., p. 492; from a Journal 
kept by one of the officers. 

(2) Charles Roger's Rise of Canada from Barbarism to 
Wealth and Civilization. Quebec, 1S56. 

5 



'^J^ AFFAIR OF CRANBERRY CREEK, 

break, a brigade of bateaux laden with provisions, under 
the convoy of a gun-boat. They made off with the prize 
to Goose Creek^, which is not far from Gananoque. At 
Kingston the loss of the supplies was soon ascertained, and 
Lieut. Scott, of the Royal Navy, was despatched with a 
detachment of the 100th Regiment, in gun-boats, to inter- 
cept the plunderers. At the lower end of Long Island, he 
ascertained the retreat of the enemy, and waited patiently 
for the morning. In the evening, still later, a fourth gun- 
boat with a detachment of the 41st Regiment came up, and 
having passed the night in bright anticipation of glory, the 
rescuing gun-boats proceeded at three in the morning to 
Goose Creek. The enemy had gone well up and had judi- 
ciously entrenched themselves behind logs, while they had 
adopted the Russian plan of blocking up the entrance to 
their harbor, where the creek became so narrow that the 
attacking gun boats found it necessary to pole even up 
that far. 

Lieutenant Scott set his men to work, to remove the bar- 
riers to his ingress, but a brisk tire soon caused him to de- 
sist, and indeed he was very much disabled. The only 
gun-boat that could be brought to bear upon the enemy 
was already disabled, and the consequences might have 
been disastrous but for the gallant conduct of the soldiers, 
who leaped from the sternmost boats, up to their necks, 
carrying their muskets high over head, and charged the 
enemy on landing, causing them to retreat with precipita- 
tion behind their entrenchment. While this was being 

(1) Synonymous with "Cranberry Creek." 



GENERAL WILKINSON'S EXPEDITION. 75 

done, the gun-boats were got afloat and put to rights, and 
the soldiers expeditiously re-embarking, the capture of the 
provisions was abandoned. Captain Milnes, a volunteer 
aid-de-camp to the commander of the forces, was killed. 

Oeneral WilMnsoii's Expedition. 

Late in 1813, after many delays, apparently caused by 
incompetency, or negligence to co-operate on the part of 
persons entrusted with important duties, an army which 
had been concentrated at Sackets Harbor, was thought to 
be in readiness to descend the St, Lawrence, and attack 
Montreal. 

On the 26th of October, a part of these forces were em- 
barked for Basin Harbor on Grenadier Island, in a motley 
fleet of scows, Durham boats, common lake sail boats and 
bateaux — at a season of the year particularly dangerous for 
navigation, and as the result proved, under the care of 
pilots wholly incompetent for the duties before them. 

If, with no enemy but the weather, it were rash to 
attempt this passage at so late a period in the year, the en 
terprise appears one of reckless folly, when we consider 
that hostile armed forces would be certainly encountered, 
with all the advantages that a previous knowledge of the 
intentions, and of the route could give them. The sequel 
of this expedition, is nothing but a record of disaster. On 
the first day of sailing, a storm came on, which strewed 
the shore with wrecks, and destroyed property of immense 
value. The American army gradually concentrated upon 
Grenadier Island, near the outlet of the Lake, where from 
exposure to the storm, great numbers sickened, especially 



76 ENGAGEMENT AT BARTLET8 POINT. 

among those from the Southern States, who were unaccus- 
tomed to the rigors of a Northern winter. At intervals of 
the gale, boats were slipped into the St. Lawrence, but so 
treacherous were the lulls of the tempest, that great peril 
was encountered in passing from Grenadier Island to Cape 
Vincent, and manj^ boats were driven ashore, and much 
provisions and clothing lost in this passage. To cover the 
advance. Commodore CTiaunce}^ took a position to prevent 
the enemy from getting possession of Carleton Island, which 

with some repairs would afford a strong defensive point, 
and General Brown was sent on to French Creek, where 

the detachments were ordered to rendezvous. 

On the evening of November 1st, the enemj^ attacked 
General Brown, about sunset, with two brigs, two schoon- 
ers, and several boats laden with infantry. He had en- 
camped a short distance up French Creek, and had caused 
a battery of three eighteen-j)ounders to be placed on Bart- 
let's Point, a headland a short distance above, which from 
its elevation gave a decided advantage over the enemy. 
This battery, was under the command of Captain Robert 
H. Macpherson, of the light infantry, and was served with 
such effect that the assailants after a little while dropped 
down with the current, beyond its range. The attack was 
renewed the next morning, without success, and one of the 
brigs was with difficulty towed off. The American loss 
in this affair, was two killed and four wounded ; that of the 
British was understood to be greater, but its extent was not 
ascertained. ^ 

(1) Captain Macpherson received the brevet rank of 



JSfAVAL PREPARATIONS. 77 

The army of General Wilkinson was closely followed by 
the enemy, who, passing behind the islands, could watch 
their opportunities for Larrassing the boats, at unexpected 
points, particularly when passing Bald Island, about two 
miles below Alexandria, where two gun-boats appeared 
and were driven back. The flotilla halted above Ogdens- 
burgh, and was passed on the night of November 7th, 
safely past the batteries of Prescott, excepting two large 
gun-boats heavily laden, that ran aground at Ogdensburgh, 
within range of the cannon of Fort Wellington, but were 
safely got off, and soon joined the rest at the "Red Mills," 
now Lisbon. 

We will not follow in detail the movements of this expe- 
dition further than to remark, that on the 11th of Novem- 
ber, a battle was fought at Chrysler's Farm, on the north 
shore, in which the Americans were beaten, and that, 
abandoning all further plans of invasion, the army w^ent 
into winter quarters at "French Mills, " now Fort Coving- 
ton, Franklin Co., N, Y. 

Naval Enterprise Upon Lake Ontario in 18 14. 
During the year 1814, both nations were busy in naval 
preparations upon the lake, and the greatest activity was 
displayed in these labors at Sackets Harbor and Kingston. 
No sooner was the keel of a frigate laid at one place, than 
an equal or greater one was begun at the other; and like 

Major, for his gallantrj'' on these occasions. He was dis- 
tinguished in the battle of La Cole, (L. C.,) in March, 1814, 
where he was severely wounded, and after the war, was 
appointed Consul in Madeira, where he died Jan. 1, 1817. 



78 NAVAL PREPARATIONS. 

the armed neutrality of Europe in modern times, the gov- 
ernment was deemed most powerful, that could show the 
heaviest armament, without actually bringing the proof to 
the test of trial. 

The following letter ^ from the Earl of Barthust will 
show the importance attached by the British Government 
to these preparations : 

* * * " You must be mtII aware that on Lake 
Ontario particularly, the contest for Naval superiority will 
be renewed at the commencement of the ensuing campaign, 
and that its success will depend upon the exertions which 
you may be able to make during the winter, for increasing 
the number and efficieuc}" of the fleet under Sir J. Yeo. 
You will therefore consider whether the measure of build- 
ing ships in other places to be afterwards transported to 
the Lakes may not be advantageously applied to the aug- 
mentation of the fleet on Lake Ontario, and whether you 
may not thus be enabled to counteract the advantages 
which the enemy have derived from the abundance and 
vicinity of their naval resources to which the unfortunate 
protraction of the contest for superioritj' has been so 
mainly owing. 

In addition to the means which have been already placed 
at your disposal, his Majesty's government have determined 
to forward to you by the first fleet in the Spring, two fri- 
gates in frame, with the necessary supplies of stores and 
cordage for their equipment. With the view to accelerate 
their arrival on Lake Ontario, they will be shipped on 
board vessels of such a draft of water as to admit of their 
proceeding direct with their cargos to Montreal. On your 
part, it will be necessary to make timely preparation for 
their transport by land, at those rapid parts of the St. 
Lawrence which preclude the passage of Bateaux, and for 
supplying them with masts and yards." * * * 

Capture of the Oun-Boat ''Black Snake.'" 
While these preparations were going on, there occurred 

(1) Dated Dovming Street, 5th December, 1813. 



CAPTURE OF A GUN-BOAT. 79 

an event among the Thousand Islands that claims our 
notice. With the view of cutting off some of the detach- 
ments of boats that were ascending the St. Lawrence with 
supplies, Commodore Cliauncey, about the middle of June, 
■directed Sailing Master Francis H. Gregory^ to take three 
gigs, with their. crews, and secrete himself among the 
Thousand Islands, to watch an opportunity to surprise and 
bring off, or destroy some of the enemy's boats that were 
passing up the St. Lawrence. He had under his command 
"William Vaughan^ and Samuel Dixon, Sailing Masters, and 
eighteen men, armed with rifles, pistols and cutlasses. They 
saw two brigades of boats passing up, but full of troops, 
and too strong to attack ; and another passing down, and 
not worth taking. Gun-boats were found stationed about 
six miles apart, and a system of telegraphs erected on the 
heights, so that intelligence could be conveyed with great 
despatch. On the 19th. the party were lying close under 
the Canadian shore, four miles below Alexandria Bay, and 
near Bald Island, when a gun-boat was seen coming down 
under easy sail, but nearer the middle of the channel. 
Upon seeing the American boats, an ofiicer, with one or 
two men, was sent in a skiff that was in tow, to make in- 

(1) This officer was born at Norfolk, Ct., in 1789, entered 
the merchant service in 1802, and was appointed a Midship- 
man in 1809 and Sailing Master in 1811. He was captured 
in August, 1814, and sent to England, where he remained 
till the peace. He arose by successive grades to the rank 
of Rear Admiral, and in the war of 1861-5 had charge of 
the building of iron-clad vessels at Brooklyn. He died at 
that place October 4th, 1866. 

(2) Captain Vaughan died at Sackets Harbor, December 
10th, 1857, aged 81 years. 



80 CAPTURE OF A GUN-BOAT. 

quiries of them, mistaking them for Canadians. Upon 
approaching, Gregory hailed the strangers, demanding their 
surrender, whi^h from necessity was obeyed ; but those on 
board tlie gun-boat, seeing tlie movement, opened a fire, 
which was returned. The vessel was soon taken, and 
found to be the Black Snake, or No. 9," Captain Landon, 
with one 18-pounder and eighteen men, chiefly royal 
marines. The prize was taken in tow, and when a mile 
and a half below French Creek, was met by a British gun- 
boat. Finding escape impossible, the prisoners and small 
arms were taken out, and the prize scuttled. The enemy 
arrived soon after, but finding it impossible to save it from 
sinking, pursued Gregory's party several miles. Night 
coming on, he escaped, reached Grenadier Island, in Lake 
Ontario, late in the evening, and the next day arrived safe 
at Sackets Harbor with his prisoners. The Commodore, in 
his oflScial report, warmly recommended Gregory, Vaughan 
and Dixon to the notice of the Department, and Congress, 
by an act passed May 4th, 1827, awarded $3,000 to Gregory 
and his men as prize-money for this service. Mr. Gregory 
was a few days after, promoted to the rank of Lieutenant 
in the Navy. ^ A few days after the destruction of the Black 

(1) Lieut. John Hewson of the 89th, who was then stationed 
at the Block House on Bridge Island, (since from the ruins 
called " Cfdmney Island," three miles and a half above the 
mouth of Toniata or Jones' Creek, and close under the 
Canadian Shore,) in writing the same day, gives further 
details concerning the capture. But one Marine escaped, 
as he happened to be on Bluff Island, and hid himself. 
He reported the assailing force as consisting of "two 
large gun-boats and a craft full of men." Capt. Landon 



CHIMNEY ISLAND. 81 

Snake, the same officers were sent to lie in wait for the 
transports that were passing Presque Isle between Kings- 
ton and York. This place being discovered, Gregory set 
fire to a vessel on the stocks, nearly ready to launch, and a 
small building adjacent, containing stores intended for its 
use. These being consumed, he crossed the lake to Oswe- 
go, and returned after about a week's absence to Sackets 
Harbor. 

These repeated adventures among the Thousand Islands 
led the British to erect a block-house at Gananoque, and 
another on Bridge Island. The former stood on a rocky 
eminence near the present Market House, and was taken 
down in 1855; its timbers still being sound and serviceable. 
The latter was on an island about ten miles above Brock- 
ville, near the north shore, and formerly connected with 
it by a sand-bar. From the ruins still standing this is 
known as " Cliimney Island.'" 

Relative Naval Force of American and British Fleets on 
Lake Ontario. 

Late in 1812, the opposing Navies were reported as fol- 
lows : 



American: — Ontario, Con- 
quest, Hamilton, Gov. Tomp- 
kins, Pert, Julia and Oroio- 
ler. 



British : — Royal George, 
Earl of Moira, Prince Regent, 
Duke of Gloucester, Simcoe 
and Seneca. 



was of the Militia, and a well known partizan. The pur- 
suing party that met the expedition on its return, was 
under Lieut. Campbell, of 104th. The Black Snake was 
afterwards raised by Ca.pt. Owen, the gun and most of the 
stores recovered, and the boat sent to Kingston for repairs. 



S2 NA VAL FORCES. 

On the 8tli of September 1813, they had both been in- 
creased, and were reported as follows: 



American : — General Pike, 
^4; Madison, 24; Sylph, 20; 
Oneida, 18; Duke oj Glouces- 
ter, 10; Gov. Tompkins, G; 
Conquest, 3; Ontario, 2; Asp, 
2; Fair American, 2; Pert, 2; 
Lady of the Lake, 2; Raven, 
1. Total, 126 guns. 



British : — General Wolfe, 
32; Royal George, 22; Earl 
of Moira, 16; Prince Regent, 
14; Simcoe, 13; Seneca, 4; 
Hamilton, (late Growler,) 5; 
Confiance, (late Julia,) 3; be- 
sides several gunboats. They 
were then building a 40-gun 
frigate and two sloops of war 
at Kingston. 

In 1814, there were active preparations on both sides, 
but no actual collision of the naval forces on this lake. 

The policy of building first rate men-of-war was adopted 
by both Governments, and when peace was announced sev- 
eral large frigates had been launched and equipped on each 
side, and others were upon the stocks, in rapid preparation 
for their armament. Under an agreement signed at Wash- 
ington in April 1817, and proclaimed by the President, 
April 28 1818, it was arranged that neither Nation should 
keep upon this Lake more than one^ vessel, of not over 100 
tons and armed with one eighteen pound cannon. 

The Lady of the Lake, with three pivot-guns on deck, and 
the brig Jones, with eighteen guns on deck, were kept up 
till this Treaty — the Pike, Jefferson, Mohawk, Madison, Sup- 
erior and Syljjh having been dismantled soon after the peace. 

These vessels had been mostly housed for preservation, 
but the annual returns showed from year to year the slow 
stages of decay, until under an act passed March 3, 1824, 



MONUMENT AT SACKETS HABBOR. 88 

all but the ships-of-the-line Nero Orleans and Chippewa, 
then on the stocks and under cover, were ordered to be 
sold. The Lady of the Lake with one pivot gun, was kept 
up for some years, and the decaying hull of the Neio 
Orleans at Sackets Harbor is now all that is left of the 
remainder. 

The history of the British fleet on Lake Ontario is much 
the same as that above related, and the last vestige has 
long since disappeared. 

The Projected Monument at Sackets Harbor. 
In closing this last notice of the war of 1812-15, we 
cannot omit to mention an incipient attempt to honor the 
memories of some of the prominent oflflcers of the Ameri- 
can army who fell upon this frontier. While Colonel 
Brady was stationed at Madison Barracks, Sackets Har- 
bor, in 1819, the remains of most of these officers were 
brought thither, and buried at that place, with the design 
of erecting a monument worthy of their memory. A tem- 
porary wooden structure was placed over the spot, — the 
form without the substance of a Testimonial, and perhaps 
emblematical of the empty and perishable honors too often 
bestowed upon those who deserve well of their country. 

In 1853, this wooden monument had tumbled down, yet 
on the rotting and broken panels might with some diffi- 
culty be read the following names : 

North Side — Brigadier-General L. Covington, killed, 
Chrysler's Field, U. C, Nov. 1813; Lieutenant-Colonel E. 
Backus, Dragoons, killed at Sackets Harbor, May 29, 
1813. 



8J!^ THE PATRIOT WAR. 

East Side — Colonel Tuttle, Lieutenant Colonel Dix, Ma- 
jor Johnson, Lieutenant Vandeventer. 

South Side — Lieutenant-Colonel Mills, Volunteer, killed 
at Sackets Harbor, 29tli May, 1813; Captain A. Spencer, 
29tli Infantry, aid-de-camp to Major-General Brown, killed 
at Lundy's Lane, July 25, 1814. 

West Side — Brigadier-General Z. M. Pike, killed at York, 
U. C, 27th April, 1813; Captain Joseph Nicholson, 14th 
Infantry, aid-decamp to General Pike, killed at York, U. 
C, 27th April, 1813. 

Many years since, the remains of Colonel Mills were re- 
moved to Albany. The remainder, so far as we are in- 
formed, still lie dishonored by neglect, within the enclosure 
of Madison Barracks. 

THE "PATRIOT WAR" OF 1837-39. 

A scheme, having for its declared object the establish- 
ment of a Republic in Canada, having been formed among 
persons living on both sides of the Boundary, in 1837, some 
events resulting from this movement occurred upon the St, 
Lawrence, that claim a notice in this connection. The 
burning of the little steamer Caroline, in American waters, 
on the night of Dec. 29, 1837, by an armed party from 
Canada, while employed in the service of the insurgents 
upon the Niagara River, led to great excitement along the 
Northern Frontier. Secret clubs known as "Hunter 
Lodges," were formed in most of the villages and cities 
along the border, for the purpose of engaging men and 
raising money for the invasion of Canada. 



HIGKOR Y ISLAND. 85 

Tlie Conquest of Hickory Island. 

Arms having been procured, by plundering the State 
Arsenals at Watertown and other places, a revolutionary 
rabble began to gather at Clayton Village on the 
30th of February, 1838. They had a considerable amount 
of arms, munitions, and provisions, including among their 
weapons some 500 long-handled pikes. They came in 
sleighs and on foot, from various places in Jefferson and 
adjacent Counties, and generallj^ acknowledged General 
Keusselaer Van Rensselaer as their leader. They openly 
avowed the design of crossing the St. Lawrence upon the 
ice, and of making a lodgment at Gananoque, from whence 
to attack Kingston. There was neither organization nor 
discipline in this motley crowd, and between those who 
assumed to lead, there were mutual jealousies, and a want 
of plan, that neutralized every operation. The weather 
was intensely cold, no provision had been made for their 
shelter, and the men suffered greatly from exposure. On 
the 22d a portion repaired on foot, and in sleighs, to Hick- 
ory Island, in British waters, about seven miles above 
Clayton, and there, it is said, a difficulty arose about the 
command, which threw a damper on the whole affair. 

On calling for volunteers to proceed, eighty-three ap- 
peared at the first, seventy-one at the second, and thirty. 
five at the third call ; then acting upon the maxim of ' ' every 
man for himself," the crowd dispersed — the officers with 
the greatest difficulty retaining enough men to remove the 
arms they had taken over. From such invasions, it would 
seem that little harm could follow ; yet from prudence, the 



86 HICKOR 7 ISLAND. 

military authorities at Kingston took measures for resisting 
the invaders. A force of 1,600 men, consisting principally 
of militia, was assembled, a part of whom were posted on- 
Wolfe Island. The enemy not appearing, the position of 
affairs was soon discovered, and on the morning of the 
23d, not a man was to be seen, having fled with no one 
pursuing, and in such haste that a part of their weapons 
and supplies w^ere left behind them. Among these was a 
quantity of broken iron, intended to be used in place of 
cannon balls. This panic, it is said, was enhanced by the 
declaration of a Militia Captain of the war of 1812, who 
passed up and down among the crowd, and proclaimed in 
a loud voice tliat before morning they would he all massacred! 
The thought of this awful fate gave wings to their flight, 
and with a laudable anxiety for the welfare of the families 
they had left behind them, when they set out for the seat 
of war, the new recruits in a few hours had all dispersed to 
their homes. Soon afterwards two companies of State 
Militia were stationed for a few weeks at Cape Vincent and 
Clayton, to intercept any other expedition that might be 
fitted out against Canada. 

The invasion of Hickory Island caused the greatest 
alarm in Kingston; for, in addition to the forces on the 
Island, and more expected from the American side, it was 
rumored that a large body of malcontents from the back 
townships were to co-operate, and that Kingston was to be 
given up to plunder and rapine. Plate, money, jewels, 
and other valuables in families, and the specie in the Bank, 
were hastily collected and lodged in the Fort. Every man 



THE SIR ROBERT PEEL. ST 

able to bear arms was mustered, and so far as the means 
allowed the recruits were armed. As neither invaders nor 
defenders were uniformed, the latter were enjoined to bind 
a strip of white linen around their caps. But an eye wit- 
ness says: " Candor compels me to add, without the least 
disparagement to the valor of any, that in many cases the 
adornment appeared to be superfluous; since the paleness 
of the lengthened visages beneath it would have fairly 
borne the palm from the whitest linen that was ever 
bleached."^ This author does nor except himself in this 
description, but attributes the phenomenon to the insuffi- 
ciency of his weapon, wiiich consisted of an old rusty 
sabre without edge, point or handle. ^ 

Burning of the Steamboat Sir Robert Peel. 
At about midnight, on the night between May 29th and 
30th, 1838, as the British Steamer Sir Robert Peel^ was tak- 
ing in wood at McDonnel's Wharf, on the south side of 
Wellesley Island, in the town of Clayton, a party, consist- 
ing of thirteen men,^ under the lead of William Johnston, 

(1) Three Tears Residence in Canada, from 1S37 to 1839, 
by T. R. Preston, London, 1840. i. p. 140. 

(2) A minute account of the Hickory Island invasion is 
given in Sir W. H. Bonny castle's ''Canada as it Was, Is, and 
May Be.'' London, 1852. 

(3) This was a staunch steamer, built the year before at 
Brockville, and was about 15') feet long by 30 in width, and 
on this occasion was in charge of Captain John B. Arm- 
strong. 

(4) The accounts published at the time give the number 
of the boarding party as twenty-one. We adopt the state- 
ment received from Johnston himself, when preparing our 
history of Jefferson county, in 1853. He said the attack 
was planned by a Cleveland Committee, who totally failed 



88 BURNING THE STEAMER. 

painted like Indians, and armed witli muskets and bayonets, 
ruslied on board, yelling and shouting ' ' Remember the 
Caroline/" 

There were nineteen passengers on board, mostly asleep 
in their berths, and, of course, they were exceedingly 
alarmed. They were hastily driven on shore — some with 
scarcely more than their night clothes upon them. Some 
of their baggage was set off, and towards morning the 
Steamer, having been plundered by the brigands, was cast' 
off into the stream, and set on fire. The burning vessel 
drifted down till it lodged upon a small island, which 
since, from this circumstance, has been known as Peel 
Island. 

It was afterwards said that the design in this attack was 
to capture and use the Steamer for the purposes of the insur- 
gents, and that a party of a hundred and fifty men had 
been promised for this service. As Johnston and his men 
could not manage the Steamer, and as the force that was 
to have been on hand did not appear, the alternative of 
destruction was adopted. 

The night was dark and rainy, and the only building in 
the vicinity was a woodman's shanty, where the passengers 
found shelter till five o'clock in the morning, when the 
Oneida, Captain Smith, coming down on her regular trip, 
found them in this distressed condition, and returned with 
them to Kingston. 

to meet their engagements. Many more details of the 
affair are given inthe County History here referred to, and 
in Lossing's Meld Book of the War of 1812. 



'BILL'' JOHNSTON. 89 

This event created the greatest excitement on both sides 
of the Eiver, and large rewards were offered by Governor 
Marcy, of New York, and by the Earl of Durham, then 
Governor of Canada, for the arrest and conviction of the 
persons concerned in the crime. 

On the 7th of June, nine persons charged with participa- 
tion in this affair, were lodged in jail at Watertown, and 
afterwards others. Their trial excited great interest, but 
did not lead to the conviction of any under arrest. 

As soon as the news reached Washington, Major-General 
Macomb was dispatched to Sackets Harbor, to take such 
course as the exigencies required. On the 20tli of June he 
sent word to Sir John Colbourne, or the officer command- 
ing at Kingston, inviting co-operation in a search among 
the Thousand Islands for the persons who had plundered 
and burned the Peel, and a few days after Colonel Dundas 
of the British army, crossed and held an interview, which 
resulted in an agreement for a joint effort to be made on 
the 2d of July to arrest the parties. After a search of sev- 
eral days, their retreat was discovered; but in their attempt 
to take the outlaws, all but two escaped. The gang con- 
sisted of but eight men at that time, of whom Johnston 
w^as one. 

This daring leader for many months balfled all efforts at 

pursuit, which he was able to do through his intimate 

knowledge of the Islands, and the vigilance of his friends. 

The principal agent through whom he obtained intelligence 

of the pursuit, and subsistence during this period, was his 

daughter "Kate," who with a skill, tidelity and success 
6 



90 "BILL" JOHNSTON. 

that commanded the admiration of sympathizers in the 
rebellion throughout the country, conveyed her father by 
night from place to place, and supplied him with food. 

Thus, from May to November, Johnston evaded every 
effort that was made for his arrest. At the time when the 
Patriots made a lodgement in the Windmill at Prescott, he 
appeared publicly in the streets at Ogdensburgh, but al- 
though he was well known there, no one offered to arrest 
him. At length, weary with hiding, he resolved to give 
himself up to his son John, who might thus claim the re- 
ward. On the 17th of November, 1838, he left Ogdens- 
burgh in a boat with his son, when Deputy Marshal Mc- 
Cullock pursued and overtook him about two miles above. 
He was tried at Syracuse before Judge Alfred Conkling,on 
a charge of violating the neutrality laws of the United 
States, and acquitted, — was again arrested — escaped, and a 
reward of $200 offered for his apprehension. He was 
arrested a few miles from Rome^, taken to Albany, tried, 
and sentenced to a year in jail and a fine of $250. His 
daughter sought and obtained permission to share his im- 
prisonment. 

At the end of six months he managed to escape early one 
evening, and walked forty miles before morning. The ex- 
ploits of this leader became widely celebrated at the time, 
and made him the hero of the day. He was commissioned 

(1) This arrest was made b}^ Captain Vaughan, of Sack- 
ets Harbor, who has already been mentioned on p. 79. A 
son of Vaughan was among the prisoners captured at the 
Windmill near Prescott. He was pardoned, doubtless on 
account of the service rendered by the father. 



''BILL' JOHNSTON. 91 

in September, 1839, as "Commodore of the Navy, andCom- 
mander-in-cliief of all the Naval Forces of the Canadian 
Patriot Service in Upper Canada," but declined the ap- 
pointment, as the Rebellion had proved a failure, and he 
had suffered enough already. 

He remained concealed, after his escape from Albany, 
until tranqiiility was restored, when he went to Washing- 
ton, with a petition numerously signed, asking for a par- 
don from the President. This was refused by Van Buren, 
but soon after granted by Harrison, and he returned openly 
to his ordinary pursuits at home. He was afterwards ap- 
pointed keeper of Rock Island Light, which shines on the 
spot where the Sir Robert Peel was burned i. 

"Bill Johnston," as he was called in derision by his ene- 
mies, and in affectionate admiration by his friends, was 
not in common life, by any means, one of the criminal 
classes. With thousands of others, he was deluded into 

(1) Johnston was born at Three Rivers, Lower Canada, 
Feb. 1, 1782, his father being Irish and his mother Dutch, 
from New Jersey. He left Canada when a young man; 
lived at various times at Sackets Harbor, Watertown and 
at other places in Jefferson County, and for some years 
kept a ferry to Wolfe Island. During the war of 1812-15 
he rendered important partizan services, by procuring in- 
formation from the enemj^ and by intercepting their mails. 
This may have led to his appointment late in life, to the 
place of keeper of a Light House. He died at Clayton Feb. 
17, 1870, at the age of 88 3'ears. His portrait is 2;iven in 
Lossing's Field Book of the War of 1812, p. 662, with a 
facsimile of his signature. 

His daughter, so often mentioned in connection with the 
events of that period, married Mr. Charles H. Hawes, of 
Clayton, and died March 14, 1878, aged 59 years, 6 months 
and 3 days. 



9S BATTLE OF THE WINDMILL. 

an idea of aiding the Canadas to gain their independence, 
and for this enterprise, nature had endowed liim with a 
will, energy and courage, that brought him conspicuously 
into notice, and made him a leader among men who might 
admire, but could not imitate his example. In his daily 
life, he was a quiet, law-abiding and respectable citizen, — 
positive and independent in his opinions, and if he was 
sometimes strong in his personal dislikes, he was always 
true to his friends. 

Battle of the Windmill. 

On the 11th of November, 1838, the Steamer United 
States touched at Sackets Harbor, on her downward trip, 
having on board 150 male passengers with little baggage ; 
and many circumstances tended to excite suspicion that 
they were upon a military expedition. Their number was 
increased by twenty or thirty at the Harbor, and by ten or 
eleven more at Cape Vincent. 

On arriving a little below Millen's Bay, she overtook the 
schooners Charlotte of Oswego, and Charlotte of Toronto, 
which were taken in tow — one on each side, at the request 
of a passenger, and it soon became evident that these 
vessels contained munitions of war, and great numbers of 
men, who, with most of the passengers on board the 
Steamer were destined for a descent upon Prescott. 

An effort was afterwards made to prove that the Captain 
of the Steamer was not previously aware of the object of 
his passengers, or the purposes of the vessels he had in tow. 

A consultation was had between the Captain and two of 
the owners who were present, and a State Bank Commis- 



BATTLE OF THE WINDMILL. 93 

sioner who was a passenger, and it was concluded to stop 
at Morristown, and give information to a JMagistrate, and 
send word by express to Ogdensburgh. 

Just before the Steamer reached Morristown, about 
eleven o'clock Sunday evening, Nov. 11th, the vessels were 
unfastened and dropped astern. The Steamer after stop- 
ping two hours and a half, resumed her course to Ogdens- 
burgh, arriving at three o'clock on Monday morning. 

The Steamer was the next day pressed into the service of 
the "Patriots," and during the day, the invading forces 
were landed, and posted in a stone tow^er built in 1823, 
as a Windmill for grinding grain, but then not in use. 
In 1873, it was fitted up as a Light-House. 

Here, until the Friday following, they held out against 
the Canadian military forces brought against them ; but in 
the mean time, heavy artillery had been brought to bear 
upon the mil], which would ere long demolish their strong 
hold, and bury them in its ruins. Their scanty supply of 
provisions and ammunition was exhausted, — and through 
the active exertions of the authorities on both sides, it was 
impossible for them to receive more ; the promised co-oper- 
ation from up the Lake did not arrive, and it finally became 
evident that they had no ground for hope unless in uncon- 
ditional surrender. 

Accordingly, about noon, on Friday, (November 15th) 
the firing ceased and the whole party surrendered at dis- 
cretion. 

The Canadian forces lost in this affair, two ofiicers and 
thirteen rank and file killed, and four officers and fifty-five 
rank and file wounded. 



94 BATTLE OF THE WINDMILL. 

The "Patriots" in this affair were under the command of 
Von Schoults, a Polish exile who had been living some 
years at Syracuse. The prisoners wer j conveyed to Fort 
Henry, at Kingston, and a Court-Martial was organized for 
their trial, that began its session on the 26th day of Novem- 
ber. 

This expedition, virtually ended the "Patriot War," and 
anxiety for the fate of the prisoners — the desperate efforts 
of their friends to procure a mitigation of punishment, and 
active measures to put an end to further agitation, became 
the absorbing themes of the day. 

Of the one hundred and sixty three men and boys who 
were captured in the Windmill, ten were hung, sixty were 
transported to Van Diemen's Land, three were acquitted, 
fifty eight pardoned, eighteen released and four turned 
Queen's evidence. We have not learned the fate of the re- 
maining ten.i After about three years, the convicts in 
Van Diemen's Land were pardoned by the Queen, and re- 
turned home. 

The iri-itation which these events occasioned, did not at 
once subside, and several of the American Steamers, es- 
pecially the " United States,'' were regarded with aversion 
on the Canada side for some time. As this Steamer was 
leaving Ogdensburgh on the evening of April 14, 1839, 
with a large number of passengers on board, from six to 
ten rounds of musket shot were fired from the wharf at 

(1) History oj St. Lawrence and Frdnklin Counties (1853) 
pp. 661—674. 

History of Jefferson Co. (1854), pp. 519-529. 



SEIZURE OF A CANNON. 95 

Prescott, upon which an angry crowd had assembled, and 
the same evening she was fired upon from the wharf at 
Brockville. A subsequent inquiry failed to fix upon any 
particular ones as the culprits.^ On the 17th of May, 
1839, the Schooner G. S. Weeks, stopped at Brockville to 
discharge some merchandise, and the usual papers were 
sent to the Custom House. Permission to unload was 
granted, when it was noticed that an iron six-pounder was 
lying upon deck, belonging to the State of New York, and 
consigned to Captain A. B. James, at Ogdensburgh, being 
sent to replace one that had been seized by the "Patriots " 
in the affair at the Windmil} in the preceding year. 

An attempt was made to seize this gun, which was re- 
sisted by the crew, when the Collector came up and took 
possession of the vessel, under the pretext of some irregu- 
larity in her papers. The gun was taken out, paraded 
through the streets, and fired several times by the mob in 
triumph. Word was sent to Col. Worth at Sackets Har- 
bor, who at once repaired to the scene of disturbance, and 
a few hours after, a Steamer with British Regulars arrived 
from Kingston. By the united efforts of the Military 
Officers and of the Civil Magistrates, the gun was finally 
surrendered by the mob without a collision, which for a 
time seemed imminent and inevitable, and some of the 
ring-leaders were arrested and lodged in the guard-house. 
These disturbances brought Governor Arthur to Brock- 



(1) Fuller details of this and other events upon the Fron- 
tier at this period, are given in our ''History of St. Law- 
rence and Fi^anklin Counties,'' p. 671. 



96 THE DISTURBANCES ENDED. 

ville, and an effort was made to justify these proceedings, 
by those who had participated in them. It is due to the 
Canadian Press and trj the more considerate portion of the 
inhabitants to notice, that they very generally denounced 
this seizure as unjustified. The Collector was removed 
from office, and the irritation gradually wore away. 

The complete suppression of this rebellion, left the Gov- 
ernment stronger than before, and doubtless led those who 
were in its counsels to a thoughtful study of the causes 
that may have led to the discontent. It was followed by a 
union of Upper and Lower Canada under one Government, 
the two sections taking the names of "Canada East" and 
"Canada West,"- the general Seat of Government being 
located at Kingston. In 1845 this was changed to Montreal, 
and at a later period it alternated a few years between 
Quebec and Toronto, until in 1865 it was permanently fixed 
at Ottawa. Lord Sydenham was Governor of Canada at 
the time of the LTnion. He died at Kingston, September 
19, 1841 in the forty second year of his age, about two 
years after his arrival in the country. 

(2) The Proclamation of Union, was dated Feb. 10, 1841. 



DESCRIPTIONS BY TRAVELLERS 



AND BY 



J-(i^TORic/i, /jMD Statistical ^f^iter^. 



DESCRIPTIONS BY TRAVELLERS AND BY HIS- 
TORICAL AND STATISTICAL WRITERS. 



FATHER CHARLEVOIX — (1721). 

Pierre Fran9ois Xavier Charlevoix was born in 1682, 
became a Jesuit priest, and in 1720-1722 made a voyage 
to North America under orders from the King of France. 
Passing up the St. Lawrence and through tlie Lakes, he 
found his way to the Mississippi, and, after encountering 
many difficulties, finally reached San Domingo, and 
returned from thence to France. Besides his Journal of 
Travels, which M^as written in epistolary form, he wrote a 
History of New France, which is regarded as high author- 
ity. He closed a life devoted to study and travel, on the 
18th of February, 1761. 

The Journal of his Travels^ abounds in historical, ethno- 
logical and topograpiiical information, and he was a close 
observer of Natural History. His description of this region 
is brief, and is-given in a letter dated at Catarocoui [Kings- 
ton] May 14, 1721, in which he says: 

" Five or six leagues from la Galette is an island called 
Toniata,^ the soil of which appears tolerably fertile, and 

(1) An English edition of these Travels, published in 1761, 
(2 vols., pp. 800) furnishes the extract here given. 

(2) Probably the same as that known on modern maps as 
Grenadier or Barthust Island. The middle part is quite 
fertile, and well adapted for settlement. 



100 FATHER CHARLEVOIX. 

which is about half a league long. An Iroquois called 
' The Quaker,' for what reason I know not — a man of ex- 
cellent good sense, and much devoted to the French — had 
obtained the right of it from the Count de Frontenac, and 
he shows his Patent to everybody that desires to see it. He 
has, however, sold his Lordship for four pots of brandy ; but 
he has reserved the usufruct for his own life, and has got 
together on it eighteen or twenty families of his own 
nation. I found liim at work in his garden; this is not 
usual with the Indians, but this person affects to follow^ all 
the French manners. He received me very well, and would 
have regaled me, but the fine weather invited me to pursue 
my voyage. I took my leave of him, and went to pass the 
night two leagues from hence, in a very pleasant spot. I 
had still thirteen leagues to sail before I could reach Cata- 
rocoui; the weather was fine, and the night very clear. 
This prevailed with us to embark at three in the morning. 
We passed through the middle of a kind of an Archipelago, 
which they call 3IiUe lies, (the Thousand Isles,) and I be- 
lieve there are above five hundred of them. After j^ou 
have got from among them, you have only a league and a 
half to sail to reach Catarocoui. The river is open, and is 
full half a league wide. You then leave upon the right 
three great baj's, pretty deep, and the fort is built in the 
third." 

Fort Catarocoui was described by Charlevoix as a square, 
with four bastions, built with stone, and the ground it 
occupies as a quarter of a league in circuit. The situation 
was very pleasant, and the view upon the river remarka- 
bly fine. 

An anonymous folio printed for Thomas Jeffreys in 1760, ^ 
repeats (page 15) the account given by Charlevoix about 
the Indian living on Toniata Island, and what is said by 
him concerning the Thousand Islands. 



(1) The Natural and Civil History of the French Dominions 
in North and South America, etc. London, 1760. 



COOPERS ''STATION island:' 101 

JAMES FENIMORE COOPER's IDEAL "STATION ISLAND." 

{Assumed to he about 1755). 
In the third of his series of "Leather-Stocking Tales," 
as placed by its author, although not in the order of publi- 
cation, is "The Pathfinder," a romance by some 
regarded as the most pleasing of the many that were 
sketched by the pen of this popular writer. In his youth, 
James Cooper, (as he was known until a middle name was 
inserted by a special act of the Legislature of New York, 
in 1826), had been a Midshipman in the American Navy, 
and in this capacity was stationed for a time at Oswego, 
where the first beginning was made in the construction of 
an American naval armament upon Lake Ontario, under 
Commodore Woolsey, in the Summer of 1808. Of this 
period of his life, the author himself says : 

"This was pretty early in the present Century, when the 
navigation was still confined to the employment of a few 
ships and schooners. Since that day, light may be said to 
have broken into the wilderness, and the rays of the sun 
have penetrated to tens of thousands of beautiful valleys 
and plains, that then lay in ' grateful shade. ' Towns have 
been built along the whole of the extended line of coasts, 
and the traveller now stops at many places of ten or fifteen, 
and at one of even fifty thousand inhabitants, where a few 
huts then marked the sites of future marts." 

Amid these familiar scenes, Cooper laid the plan of his 

romance, and the descriptions of scenery and of natural 

topography which the book contains, he regards ' 'as nearly 

accurate as is required by the laws which govern fiction, " 

although these wild solitudes of Lake Ontario as he saw 

them, are so no longer. The period assigned for the 

romance, was about the middle of the last Century, while 



102 COOPERS ''STATION island:' 

the Euglish held a military and trading post at Oswego, 
and the French the region to the north and west of the 
Lake, extending in a chain of posts from their possessions in 
Lower Canada to those on the Mississippi. It was not long 
before the hostilities began that ended in the conquest of 
the French in Canada, and the full establishment of the 
English power, and of peace along the whole line of this 
memorable Frontier. 

We will not attempt to give an outline of the plot of the 
tale, leaving that to be known by those who would wish 
the details from the book itself. It is sufficient for our 
present use, to copy some of the descriptions of scenery of 
the Thousand Islands, — among the intricate mazes of which, 
the author has placed The Station, upon which depends 
a part of the plot. It was, indeed, as he represented it, in 
that day, a place hard to find, the approach being full of 
difficulties and dangers. The way was known to but a 
favored few, to whom the secret was in confidence entrusted, 
and the place is now, like Calypso's favored Isle, an open 
question for those who choose to explore. 

' ' The Station, as the place was familiarly termed by the 
soldiers of the 55tli, w^as indeed a spot to raise expectations 
of enjoyment among those who had been cooped up so 
long in a vessel of the dimensions of the Scud. None of 
the islands were high, though all lay at a sufficient eleva- 
tion above the w^ater to render them perfectly healthy and 
secure. Each had more or less of wood, and the greater 
number at that distant day were clothed with the virgin 
forest. The one selected by the troops for their purpose 
was small, containing about twenty acres of land, and by 
some of the accidents of the wilderness, it has been partly 
stripped of its trees, probably centuries before the period 
of which we are writing, and a little grassy glade covered 



COOPERS "STATION island:' 103 

nearly half its surface. It was the opinion of the officer 
who had made the selection of this spot for a military post, 
that a sparkling spring near by had early caught the atten- 
tion of the Indians, and that they had long frequented this 
particular place in their hunts, or when fishing for salmon 
— a circumstance that had kept down the second-growth, 
and given time for the natural grasses to take root, and to 
gain dominion over the soil. Let the cause be what it 
might, the effect was to render this island far more beauti- 
ful than most of those around it, and to lend an air of 
civilization that was then wanting in so much of that vast 
region of country. 

The shores of Station Island were completely fringed 
with bushes, and great care had been taken to preserve 
them, as they answered as a screen to conceal the persons 
and things collected within their circle. Favored by this 
shelter, as well as of that of several thickets of trees and 
different coppices, some six or eight low huts had been 
erected to be used as quarters for the officer and his men, 
to contain stores, and to serve the purposes of kitchen, hos- 
pital, etc. These huts were built of logs, in the usual 
manner, had been roofed by bark brought from a distance, 
lest signs of labor should attract attention, and, as they 
had now been inhabited some months, were as comfortable 
as dwellings of that description usually ever get to be. 

At the eastern extremity of the Island, however, was a 
small, dense-wooded peninsula, with a thicket of under- 
brush so thickly matted as nearly to prevent the possibility 
of seeing across it, so long as the leaves remained on the 
branches. Near the narrow neck that connected this acre 
with the rest of the Island, a small block house had been 
erected with some attention to its means of resistance. The 
logs were bullet-proof, squared and jointed with a care to 
leave no defenceless points; the windows were loop-holes; 
the door massive and small; and the roof, like the rest of 
the structure, was framed of hewn timber, covered prop- 
erly with bark to exclude the rain. The lower apartment, 
as usual, contained stores and provisions; here, indeed, the 
party kept all their supplies ; the second story was intended 
for a dwelling as well as for a citadel, and a low garret was 
subdivided into two or three rooms, and could hold the 
pallets of some ten or fifteen persons. NW. the arrange- 
ments were exceedingly simple and cheap, but they were 



10I^ COOPERS "STATION ISLAND:' 

sufficient to protect the soldiers against the effects of a sur- 
prise. As the whole building was considerably less than 
forty feet high, its summit was concealed by the tops of the 
trees, except from the eyes of those who had reached the 
interior of the Island. On that side the view was open from 
the upper loops, though bushes, even there, more or less 
concealed the base of the wooden tower. The object being 
purely defense, care had been taken to place the block- 
house so near an opening in the limestone rock that formed 
the base of the Island, as to admit of a bucket's being 
dropped into the water, in order to obtain that great essen- 
tial, in the event of a siege. In order to facilitate this 
operation, and to enfilade the base of the building, the 
upper storj^ projected several feet beyond the lower, in the 
manner usual to block-houses, and pieces of wood filled the 
apertures cut in the log flooring, which were intended as 
loops and traps. The communications between the differ- 
ent stories were by means of ladders. If we add that these 
block-houses were intended as citadels, for garrisons or 
settlements to retreat to in cases of attack, the general 
reader will obtain a sufficiently correct idea of the arrange- 
ments it is our wish to explain. 

But the situation of the Island itself formed its principal 
merit as a military position. Lying in the midst of twenty 
others, it was not an easy matter to find it, since boats 
might pass quite near, and, by the glimpses caught through 
the openings, this particular island would be taken for a 
part of some other. Indeed, the channels between the 
islands that lay around the one we have been describing 
were so narrow, that it was even difficult to say which por- 
tions of the land were connected, or which separated, even 
as one stood in their centre, with the express desire of 
ascertaining the truth. The little bay in particular, that 
Jasper used as a harbor, was so embowered with bushes 
and shut in with islands, that, the sails of the cutter being 
lowered, her own people, on one occasion, had searched 
for hours before they could find the Scud, in their return 
from a short excursion among the adjacent channels in 
quest of fish. In short, the place was admirably adapted 
to its present uses, and its natural advantages had been as 
ingeniously improved as economy and the limited means of 
a frontier post would very well allow. — {The Pathfinder, 
Chap, xix.) 



POUCHOT. 105 

CAPTAIN POUCHOT — (1760.) 

This writer was a Captain in the Regiment of Beam in 
the war of 1755-60 — was commander of the fort at Niagara 
when captured by Sir William Johnson in 1758, and again 
was captured in Fort Levis, a little below Ogdensburgh, 
where the last resistance was made by the French in the 
conquest of Canada, in 1760. 

His Journal was published in Switzerland after his death 
and affords much valuable information concerning the 
country as it existed in his day. • In speaking of the cus- 
toms of the Canadian voyageurs, he remarks that in ascend- 
ing the river in their bateaux, they kept as near as possible 
to the north shore. Of the river above he says : 

"At five leagues from Pointe au Baril. [near the present 
village of Maitland], is the Island of Toniata. The main 
channel of the river is between this island and the south 
shore. The north part of the river is tilled with rushes, 
and in summer is a celebrated eel tisher}*. 

"The Island of Toniata^ is three leagues long by a quar- 
ter of a league wide. At the upper end is a little passage 
with but little water, and full of rushes, which they call 
the Petit Detroit. This is the route that bateaux always 
take in going up to avoid the currents. 

We should notice that we ought to pay no attention to 
the little channels which we meet among the rushes, and 
which have no outlet and would ground a vessel. 

At the Petit Detroit they perform the ceremony of ' 'bap- 
tizing" those who have never gone up the river before-. 

(1) Now known as Grenadier, or on some maps Barthurst 
Island. See the account as given b)^ Charlevoix, on an- 
other page. The signification of Toniata, is said to be 
"Beyond the Point." Kote to Hough's Translation of Pou- 
cJiofs Memoirs, ii, 110. 

(2) The exact localitj- of this narrow passage may be 
easily pointed out, as between Tar Island and the Canada 

7 



106 POUGHOT. 

At a league and a half above, begins the Thousand 
Islands, which continue at least three leagues. These are 
an infinite number of little rocks covered with trees, with 
channels quite large in some places. In others, vessels in 
passing through would almost touch them. They are very- 
safe, almost always have a good depth of water all around 
them, and there is but a slight current. 

At the end of three leagues we find larger islands. We 
should take care and not go astray. In following the bat- 
teaux channel nearest the north side, we shall notice several 
inlets ending in marshes which are near the shore. 

It is necessary to turn very short to enter the Bay of 
Corbeau^, which is large and fine. We pass between the 
south point, which is very straight, and a little island which 
we have to pass very near. From thence, they coast along 
the Isle au Citron, which,is a good league in length. It is 
fine and well wooded. 

They make a crossing of three leagues to reach the Isle 
Cochois, which is three leagues long, and half a league 
wide, abounding in game and fish. ^. 

"The view from the foot of this island, with the neigh- 
boring islands and the north shore, forms a prospect most 
delightful on account of the beauty of the channels. This 
part appears to be very proper for cultivation, and good for 
hunting and fishing. From thence to Frontenac is three 
leagues. We find the bay sutficiently deep and quite good 
before coming to Montreal Point, which is the south point 
of the Bay of Catarocoui."^ 

shore. This custom of making merry at the cost of the 
luckless novice at the oar, will remind the reader of the 
frolic which sailors have, on crossing the Equator, with 
those who have never made the passage before. The un- 
lucky subject of this ordinance, in these solitudes of woods 
and waters, would of course have no remedy, and the only 
satisfaction he could expect, would be in the opportunity 
of assisting in the ceremony himself, upon some new 
comer, 

(1) Probably Baumgardt Bay of Owen's Chart. It is on 
the north shore, about opposite the head of Wellesley 
Island 

(2) This answers to the description of Wellesley Island, 
more nearly than any other. 

(3) Pouchofs Memoirs, ii, p. 109. 



J. LONG, THE INDIAN TRADEB. 107 

JOHN LONG. 1 

This author, who was a roving Indian Trader, appears to 
have met some adventures worthy of notice, although not 
immediately relating to the place more particularly under 
description. He stayed only a day or two in a place, bartered 
his goods for peltries till there were no more to buy, and 
then pushed off to a new field of enterprise. He stopped 
three days at the German Flats on the Mohawk — and on 
the 14th of September, 1784, arrived at the " Jenesee Lake, " 
probably Seneca Lake of the present day. 

A Council was called, and he asked permission to stay 
awhile and trade, They deliberated, and returned the fol- 
lowing answer : 

' 'You are the Sugar, for so you are called in our tongue, 
but you must not have too much sweetness on your lips. 
All the Oneida Indians say they have heard that you are 
come only under a pretence to get our lands from us; but 
this must not be. My young Tvarriors will not suffer any 
Englishman to settle here. You are like the Great Chief 
General Johnson, who asked for a spot of ground, or large 
bed, to lie on; and when Hendrick, the Chief of the Mo- 
hawks, had granted his request, he got possession of a great 
quantity of our hunting grounds ; and w^e have reason to 
think that you intend to dream us out of our natural rights. 
We loved Sir William, and therefore consented to all his re- 
quests; but you are a stranger, and must not take these 
liberties ; therefore, my advice is, that you depart to-mor- 
row, at break of day, or you will be plundered by the j'^oung 
warriors, and it will not be in our power to redress you." 

(1) Voyages and Travels of an Indian Interpreter and 
Trader, describing the manners and customs of the North 
American Indians, with an account of the Posts situated on 
the River St. Lawrence, Lake Ontario, etc., etc., 4' Lon- 
don, 1791, pp. 295. This work was translated into French 
and published without the Indian vocabularies, a short time 
afterwards. 



108 J. LONG, THE INDIAN TRADER. 

He "departed" for Fort Oswego, which he attempted to 
pass without permission ; but was prevented by a sentinel, 
and his goods were all seized and confiscated. 

In this miserable condition he got across to Cataroqui, 
[Kingston] and put up at Howell's tavern. He afterwards 
took up 500 acres of land in this region, on the Canada 
side ; but not liking the tame routine of farm life, he ob- 
tained another stock of goods, retired up the Lake, and 
established himself at Pimitiscotyan Landing, on Lake On- 
tario. He had scarcely opened his premises for trade, be- 
fore an officer took possession of everything he could find, 
even to the tent that sheltered him from the weather, and 
carried them down to Montreal, where everything was sold 
for less than a fourth part of its cost. Again stripped of 
his all, Mr. Long retired to the "Bay of Kent}'," and lived 
ten months among the friendly U. E. ^ Loj'alists. Early in 
the spring of 1786, he crossed to Carleton Island, and from 
thence proceeded to Oswego, intending to go into the 
States by post. Having no pass, he was there stopped ; but 
returning eastward, he resolved to proceed from Salmon 
River through the woods to Fort Stanwix. Having rested 
a day, he set out with five pounds of pork, and two loaves 
of bread, with a companion, and a faithful Indian as a guide, 
— but the old path was obliterated; they suffered great 
hardships, and were finally thankful at being able to get 
back to their point of departure alive. From thence they 
made their way to Oswego along the shore, a distance of 
not over twenty miles, but they were six days on the way. 

(1) "United Empire." 



J. LONG, THE INDIAN TRADER. 109 

Towards the last, they were entirely without food, except 
wild onions, [leeks] ; but, fortunately, they found on the 
sand about a hundred and forty birds' eggs, wliich they 
boiled and eagerly devoured, notwithstanding the gi-eater 
part had young birds in them, Avith small down on their 
bodies. They were again turned back, and advised to pro- 
ceed either to Niagara or Montreal, without further at- 
tempting to run their blockade. He adopted the latter 
alternative. 

At this period, there were along the north bank of the 
St. Lawrence, beginning at Point au Baudet, and extending 
to the head of the Bay of Quinte, about ten thousand in- 
habitants, mostly Loyalists from the States, who had been 
driven out by the Revolution, and who were truly faithful 
subjects of the British Crown. 

Cataroqui, or Fort Frontenac, was in his daj', held by a 

small garrison, and a commanding officer, who examined 

all boats that passed either to the new settlements, or the 

upper posts. Mr. Long gives some notes upon the military 

defenses of this Frontier, on the south side of the Lake, 

after the close of the Revolution, that have historical 

interest : 

"The first post I shall notice is Oswegatchie, on the River 
St. Lawrence, about one hundred and fifty miles above 
Montreal, at the mouth of the Black River ^ where there 
are about an hundred savages, who occasionally frequent 
it, and are called Oswegatchie Indians, although they be- 
long to the tribes of the Five Nations. To this Fort the 
inhabitants from New England may with ease transport 

(1) The Oswegatchie River was thus called on the maps 
of that period. 



no J. LONG, THE INDIAN TRADER. 

goods to supply the Mohawks, Cahnauages, Connecedagas, 
St, Kegis, and some straggling Messesawger Indians, who 
live near the Detroit, at a smaller expense than they can 
possibly be obtained from the merchants of Quebec and 
Montreal, but particularly rum — which has now become an 
essential requisite in every transaction with the savages; 
for though they used formerly often to complain of the in- 
troduction of strong-water by the Traders, (as appears by 
the language of their chiefs in Council), to the prejudice of 
their young men, yet they have not now the resolution to 
refrain from the use of it. On the contrary, it is become 
so familiar, and even necessary to them, that a drunken 
frolic is looked upon as an indispensible requisite in a bar- 
ter, and anticipated w.th extreme delight. 

"Carleton Island is higher up the river, and has greater 
conveniences annexed to it than Oswegatchie, having an 
excellent harbor, with a strong fortification, well garri- 
soned. It affords excellent accommodation for s ipping, 
and may be considered as the naval storehouse for supply- 
ing Niagara and the other posts. There are vessels of con- 
siderable bulk constantly sailing from thence to Niagara, 
Oswego, etc. There is also a Commodore of the Lakes, 
whose residence is on the Island."^ 

The Commodore of the King's vessels on Lake Ontario, 
in 1796,as described by Mr. Weld, was a French Canadian,as 
were likewise most of the officers under him. Their uni- 
form was blue and white, with large yellow buttons, 
stamped with a Beaver, over which was inscribed the word 
"Canada." The Naval officers were under the control of 
the Military Commandant at every post where their vessels 
touched, and they could not leave their vessels to go up 
into the country at any time, without his permission. 

The Roj'^al Navy on Lake Ontario in 1796, according to 
Liancourt, consisted of six vessels, of which two were small 
schooners of twelve guns — the Onondaga and the Mohawk, 

(1) The Senior Naval Officer at Carleton Island in 1786-8 
was David Betton, of the British Navy. 



J. LONG, THE INDIAN TRADER. Ill 

(the latter just finished) — a small yacht of eighty tons, 
mounting six guns — the Missisaga, of the same armament as 
the schooners, and two gunboats. All of these vessels 
were made of green timber, and the cost of the larger of 
them was four thousand guineas. The heaviest item of 
cost was the iron work. The embezzlement and improvi- 
dence with which affairs were managed, on the part of 
underlings in the service was very great. 

Mr, Long gives some sketches of Indian life as it then 
existed in this region, that may be read with interest : 

' 'Early one winter, a newly married couple arrived, and 
having given them a little rum, they got very merry ; and 
perceiving the woman was in great humor, I desired her to 
sing a Love Song, which she consented to do with cheer- 
fulness. 

The Song. 

''Dehwoye, nee zargay ween aighter, ])ayshik oathty, seizee- 
bockquoit shenargussey me tarMrcoacli ne'peech cassaimcka 
nepoo, moszack pemartus, seizeebockquoit meteek.'" 

"It is true I love him only whose heart is like the sweet 
sap that runs from the sugar-tree, and is brother to the 
aspen-leaf, that always lives and shivers. " 

In one of his descriptions, it would appear that he tarried 
among the Thousand Islands. The description is too ob- 
scure for us now to locate the place — but the account is as 
follows : 

"I was then left with two white men, and two Indians 
and their wives. "We passed our time in hunting and fish- 
ing; and as there were a great many small islands near us, 
we made frequent trips to shoot wild fowl, which enabled 
us to keep a good table. On one of the Islands we discov- 
ered two Indian huts, but from their appearance no one 
had visited them for a length of time. About half a mile 
from the place we saw a high pole, daubed over with Ver- 
million paint ; on the top were placed three human skulls, 



112 P. CAMPBELL. 

and bones hung around. The Indians supposed it had 
been erected many years. About an hour before sunset, 
we returned to our wigwams. " 

When he was living on the Lake shore not far from the 
eastern end, he had a large dog for protecting himself and 
property. An Indian one day came in, rather the worse 
for rum, and attempted to strike the dog; but the animal 
instantly seized him by the calf of the leg, and wounded 
him dreadfully. The Indian returned to his hut, and made 
no complaint till the next day, when, being sober, he called 
and desired to speak to our Trader. He told the master 
how he had been used by the dog, saying he hoped he 
would give him a new pair of leggins, to supply those 
which the dog had torn ; but that with regard to his leg, 
he did not trouble himself much about that, as he knew it 
would soon be well. Wounded flesh would heal — torn 
leather, never. The request was granted ; the Indian retired 
with a bottle of rum as a present, with which he seemed 
well pleased, and nothing more was heard of the matter. 

p. CAMPBELL — (1791). 
This traveler set out from the Highlands of Scotland with 
an intention of exploring the interior of North America, 
and with an old and faithful servant, a dog and a gun, he 
traveled much in the wilderness, in birch-bark canoes, and 
through regions where comfort and safety were scarcely to 
be looked for, and often not enjoyed. Thus writing from 
day to day, in a canoe, or on the stumps of trees, or by the 
dim fire-light of a settler's cabin, he has given us impres- 
sions of the country as he saw it, that make up in vivid 



p. CAMPBELL. lis 

description for what he may lack in style. He had learn- 
ed from a British officer that a lady was living on his way, 
whom he had known when she was a child, in a poor 
widow's family that he had befriended in time of need, 
and he resolved to visit her. She had married Captain 

Thomas F , and was living not far from the River. 

We cannot describe the incident, which gives a pleasant 
glimpse of domestic life in those days, better than in his 
own language: 

' ' When I came opposite to Captain F 's house, which 

was a little way fro n the road, rny servant said that was 
the place we had been directed to; but on my looking 
about and remarking the good house, but a still larger barn 
of two stories high, several office-houses, barracks or Dutch 
barns, the sufficiency and regularity of the rails, and extent 
of the enclosures, — considerable flocks of turkeys, geese, 
ducks and fowls, I said it could be no Highlander that 
owned that place, — that the barracks or Dutch barns were 
foreign to any Scotchman whatever ; that I had not hith- 
erto seen any of them that had such a thing ; and that he 
must be a German who lived in that place. Still he af- 
firmed this must be it, agreeable to the directions we had; 
but I could not be persuaded, and pushed on to the next 
house which was then in sight. When I came up, I asked 

for Captain F 's, and was told I had left it behind; I 

therefore had to return. 

"When I came in, they took no sort of notice of me, fur- 
ther than desiring me to sit down. My trowsers being 
torn with the bushes, and the rest of Tny dress being in the 
like situation, they supposed me to be a Yankee come from 
the States. After sitting awhile in this way, nobody speak- 
ing to me, or I to them, as Mrs. F happened to sit by 

me, I looked full in her face ; and clearly recognizing her 
features, I accosted her in Gaelic and asked her if she had 
ever seen me before. She could not say wiiether she had 

(1) Travels is the Interior Inhabited Parts of North Ameri- 
ca, in the Tears 1791 and 1792— illustrated with copper plates. 
Edinburgh, 1793, 1 vol., octavo. 



lU p. CAMPBELL. 

or not. This turned the eyes of everybody in the house 
toward us; but on my asking if she had lieard of or known 
such a person, naming myself, she said she did, and knew 
him ver}' well; but could not suppose that I was him. On 
my saying I was, she turned about to her husband : ' My 
dear,' said she, 'this is the gentleman whom I often told 
you was so kind to us when he was Forester of Mam-Lorn; 
and whatever disputes we and our neighbors had when 
our cattle trespassed upon the Forest, he always favored our 
family. ' 

"Captain F on this instantly welcomed me to his 

house, and ordered dinner and venison steaks to be got 

ready immediately. While dinner was getting, Mrs F 

showed me nine or ten large, fat hogs, then lying dead 
on the floor of her keeping-house, and said they every 
fall, killed twenty such, and tAvo fat oxen, besides other 
provisions for their winter's store. After dinner Captain 

F treated me with Port wine until we conld drink no 

more, and pressed me much to stay that night ; but as the 
boats had passed, I could not wait. When he iound that 
I would be away, he ordered a couple of horses to be sad- 
dled immediately. * * * -pj^g boats 
arriving, I stepped on board, and the water now becoming 
smooth and more like a Lake than a running stream, the 
wind favorable, we put up sails and made great way till 
late at night, when we put up at a poor, lame, ragged 
man's house, with a numerous f amilj^ of small children ; 
but the wife was buxom and well dressed I and my Can- 
adian crew threw ourselves down upon the floor opposite 
to the fire and slept soundly till four o'clock next morning, 
when we got up and se* off in the usual way. The wind 
still favored us, and we soon entered the Thousand Islands, 
which never were, nor do I suppose ever will be counted, 
by reason of their numbers, and for which reason they 
were formerly called by the French, and now by the Brit- 
ish the Mille lies. They are of very little value and pro- 
duce nothing but scraggy wood of useless pine. Here are 
innumerable flocks of water fowl, mostly of the Teal kind. 
Such a diversity of creeks, bays, channels and harbors, I 
suppose is rarely to be met with in the world ; and if a crew 
be not well acquainted with the direct course, and if they 
once miss it, the}'^ may chance to be bewildered, and, for 
days, may not find it again. After passing these Islands, 
we entered upon the lower end of Lake Ontatio, and about 



p. CAMPBELL. 115 

night-fall arrived at Frontinac or Catraquey, now called 
Kingston, and put up at the Coffee House." 

Mr. Campbell describes Kingston as a young but prom- 
ising Town, most beautifully located, and already (within 
eight years after the beginning), a place of considerable 
trade. Over 6.000 bushels of wheat had been bought up 
and stored here the year before, and at least a fourth more 
would be purchased each succeeding year. He was told 
that six score of deer had been sold in town the same 3'ear, 
and venison was sold every day in the market. He met 
old acquaintances and formed new ones, and greatly ad- 
mired Parson Stuart's farm, and the pr spect from Sir 
John Johnson's house, that commanded a fine view of the 
harbor and town. Kingston was then looking forward to 
a time that seemed near, when the Governor-General would 
here fix his abode, and the place would become a great 
emporium of trade, and the seat of government of Canada. 

On the 24th of November, 1791, Mr. Campbell took 

passage on board the sloop Colv-Ue, Captain Baker, for 

Niagara. The vessel was armed with two six-pounders 

and two swivels, and he had as a fellow passenger, Lieut. 

William McKay, a fellow countryman, whom he had met 

in Kingston, The day was hazy, and the wind fair, but 

promised no continuance at this late period in the year, 

and just on the verge of winter. The early part of his 

voyage brings us to a point of especial interest : 

"We passed several large, woody, uninliabited islands. 
About night-fall, the wind changed to straight ahead — the 
Captain, quite drunk, went to bed, the crew, little better, 
went to rest, and indeed, were almost useless when sober, 
as they seemed to know scarce anything at all of their 



116 P. CAMPBELL. 

business. No watch or reckoning was kept, and but an 
ignorant wretch at tlie helm. The wind increased, and 
now became a storm. In this way, beating to tlie wind- 
ward, the niglit dark, and surrounded by land-shoals and 
islands, our situation could not be very agreeable. None 
of us knew where we were, and in fear of being aground 
every moment. A man was ordered to sound, and once 
sung out of a sudden, "five fathoms." I expected the next 
moment to hear her strike. The ship was put about, and 
the mistake in the sounding discovered to be owing to the 
ignorance of the sailor, and the lines having been entangled 
in the rails, as at the next sounding, no bottom was found. 
From these circumstances I clearly saw that if we escaped 
being wrecked, it would be a mere chance, and it appeared 
that there was at least five to one against us. * * But 
drunk as this man was, before he went to bed, he ordered 
the main-sail to be double-reefed, and the fore-sail to be 
handled, — a precaution I was very glad to see. About mid- 
night a severe blast or hurricane was heard coming on. 
The man at the helm sung out, which brought the Captain 
and all the crew on deck, who got all the sails handled, 
and we now went under bare poles; that done, he again 
returned to bed, eternally bawling out, 'Oh! my poor Fam- 
ily!' and with the next breath, 'Let us all go to to- 
gether!' Thus we continued till day-light. The surge ran 
very high, but not equal to that I have seen on sea; and as 
the wind blew ver}^ fresh and hard against us, we had 
nothing for it but to return back and anchor at 2 p. m. at 
the head of Carleton island opposite to Kingston; but as 
several large islands were between us and the town, they 
could not see us, or know what had become of us. The 
25th, 26th and 27th, we lay here without stirring, the wind 
continualh' ahead or calm. 

' 'On the 28th I went on shore on Carleton Island, where the 
British had a garrison last war. The barracks, dry-ditch and 
rampart are still remaining, but in a decayed state. A ser- 
geant and twelve men are kept here, to preserve the bar- 
racks from being burnt by the Indians, and the Americans 
from taking possession of it and the dismounted guns there- 
on. The cause assigned for our forsaking this post is said 
to be, because it is doubtful whether these islands be with- 
in the British or American lines." 

They tried to get off on the 29th, but were soon obliged 



p. CAMPBELL:— TEE FRENCH DUKE. 117 

to return and anchor, and the next day they went hunting 
on the New York shore. They durst not venture far into the 
woods, and killed nothing, but afterwards had better 
luck upon some of the islands. Thus day after day, for 
ten days, they were detained by adverse winds, and even 
after getting well on their voyage, they w^ere enveloped in 
fogs of hoar-frost, and so benumbed with cold, that it seem- 
ed almost hecessary to turn about for Kingston and winter 
there. The fog cleared up at last, and they got safely in 
at Niagara. 

It being very cold, the Captain invited our traveller into 
his house to warm him, — and this gave him an occassion 
to note down the following reflection in the interest of 
Temperance : 

' ' I there found a decent looking young woman, his wife, 
with five beautiful children, of whom the father seemed 
uncommonly fond ; and though their whole support, and 
in a manner their existence, depended on his life and in- 
dustry, 3^et such is his love of grog that it would seem he 
would forsake them and every other consideration in the 
world for its sake ; at least, that he would not forsake it 
for them." 

LA ROCnEFOUCAULD-LIAXCOUIlT. ^ — (1795). 

Fran^ois-Alexandre-Frederic La Rochefoucauld-Lian- 
court, a French Duke, and a distinguished philanthropist, 
was born in 1747 and died in 1827. A faithful adherent of 
the unfortunate Louis XYI, he was obliged to emigrate, on 
the approach of the French Revolution, and was several 
years in England and America. He returned to France 

(1) Voyage dans les Etats-Unis d' Amerique fait €7i 1795, 
1796 et 1797. Par La Rochefoucauld- Liancourt. Paris, 
I'an VII, de la Republique 8 vols. . octavo. 



118 THE FRENCH D UKE. 

under tlie Consulate, and resumed the efforts he had form- 
erly made, for the improvement of Agriculture and the In- 
dustries. He was one of the chief promoters of vaccina- 
tion in France, and took an active part in various measures 
of education, benevolence and reform, holding high posi 
tions in pufelic and social life, and scattering seeds of 
kindness with generous hand. He lived to see the fruits 
of many salutary measures that he was active in promoting. 
His son, Frederick G., who died in 1863, was distinguished 
for his literary publications. 

The Duke after passing through the country to Niagara, 
remained some time in Upper Canada, as the guest of 
Lieut. Gov. Simcoe, at Newark, then the seat of Govern- 
ment of the Upper Province. From thence he took pas- 
sage for Kingston, on board the Onondaga, one of the 
armed vessels belonging the British naval force on Lake 
Ontario. This vessel was pierced for twelve six-pounders, 
but carried only six. It was employed in carrying freight 
for the merchants, when the public service allowed. The 
passage was usually performed in thirty-six hours, being 
sometimes ten or twelve hours less, or more, according to 
the wind. At Kingston, he hoped to receive from Lord 
Dorchester, the Governor-General, a pass allowing him to 
proceed to Lower Canada. He was thus detained there 
several days, and finally received a letter absolutely forbid- 
ding him from going down the River. This made it neces- 
sary for him to cross over to Oswego, and proceed from 
thence by water to New York. During his sojourn at 
Kingston, the Duke was able to obtain much information 



THE FRENCH D UKE. 119 

about the country, and his record concerning Carleton Is- 
land is particularly explicit. Of Kingston, he says : 

" The barracks are built on the site of Fort Frontenac, 
which was built by the French, and leveled by the Eng- 
lish. The latter built these barracks about six years ago. ^ 
During the American war their troops were constantly in 
motion: and in later times they were quartered on an Island 
which the French call Isle aux Ghevreaiix, [Goat Island], 
and ichich the English have named Carleton, after Lord Dot 
Chester.''' 

In the conflict of interests for securing the Seat of Gov- 
ernment in Upper Canada, Lord Dorchester preferred 
Kingston, while Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe insisted 
upon the advantages offered in the country between Lakes 
Erie and Ontario. At the period when the Duke visited 
Upper Canada, the Capital was located at Newark ; but the 
Treaty of the previous year stipulated for the surrender of 
the posts still held by the British on the American shore, 
and York or Toronto was soon after selected. 

The trade of Kingston at this period, consisted chiefly in 
peltries from the Upper Lake country, and in supplies 
brought up the River from Montreal. There were then 
three merchant-ships on the Lake, that made eleven voyages 
in a year. The Town contained about one hundred and 
twenty or thirty houses, none more distinguished than the 
rest, and the only one conspicuous was the Barracks, a 
stone building, surrounded by a palisade. All of the houses 
stood on the northern bank of the bay, which stretched a 
mile farther into the country, while on the southern bank 

(1) This fixes the date of their erection in 1789, the j^ear 
when the garrison on Carleton Island was mostly with- 
drawn. 



120 ISAAC WELD, Jr. 

were the buildings belonging to the Navy, and the dwel- 
lings of those connected with that Department. There the 
King's ships laj^ at anchor, apart from the port where the 
merchant vessels landed. 

The Duke speaks kindly of the Rev. John Stuart, curate 
of Kingston, a native of Harrisburgh, Pa., who sided with 
the Loyalists of the Revolution, and received a grant of 
3,000 acres near Kingston, a part of which — about 70 acres, 
he cultivated himself. Although decidedly loyal, he was 
still liberal in his politics — a man of much general infor- 
mation — mild, open and affable, and universally respected. ^ 
There was then but one church in Kingston, lately built, 
and more resembling a barn than a church. 

ISAAC WELD, JR. 

Mr. Weld was an Irish gentleman, who was induced by 
political troubles to leave Ireland in 1795, with the view of 
observing the opportunities for settlement which America 
afforded. His "Travels through the States of North 
America and the Provinces of Upper and Lower Canada, 
in 1795-96-97," were published in quarto in 1799, and 
afterwards in other editions in English and French. We 
find in this work an abundance of economical and statisti- 
cal facts, an ardent appreciation of the beauties of nature, 
and a candid picture of social institutions and domestic 
life, that give it a permanent value as a chronicle of the 

(1) Mr. Stuart was the last Episcopal Missionary to the 
Mohawks, at Fort Hunter, and settled at Kingston in 1784. 
He opened the first Academy at that place in 1 786, and died 
there August 15, 1811, aged 71 years. 



ISAAC WELD, Jr. 121 

times in which he wrote. This writer was born in Dublin 
in 1774, and died in 1856. He was fifty-six years con- 
nected witli tlie Royal Dublin Society, of which he was for 
a long time a Vice-President and the Recording Secretary. 
In 1807, he published "Illustrations of the Scenery of Kil- 
larney." • 

Mr. Weld, as he was leaving Montreal, in September, 
1796, for a journey up the St. Lawrence, had as his first 
concern to provide a large traveling tent and some camp 
equipage, buffalo skins, a store of dried provisions, kegs 
of brandy and wine, and, in short, to make every usual 
and necessary preparation for the journey. Except for 
about fifty miles, there were roads, and scattered settle- 
ments at no great distance from each other, all the way up 
to Kingston ; but no one ever thought of going by land, as 
there would be great difficulty in hiring horses and in cross- 
ing streams without bridges. 

The bateaux were never laden until the boats had been 
got up the Lachine Rapids. Three men could take an 
empty boat of two tons up these first rapids, keeping as close 
as possible to the shore, and using poles, oars and sails, as 
found most advantageous. It was a very laborious task ; 
but from long observation, they had been able to find 
places some times half a mile or in others two or three 
miles apart, where they could take breath. Each of these 
places the boatmen called "unepipe," because they were 
there allowed to fill their pipes, and this term had come to 
be a sort of itinerary measure, as, such a place is "three 
pipes off." The "pipe" was about equal on an average to 
three-quarters of an English mile. 



12S ISAAC WELD, Jr. 

The passage up the rapids was so tedious that travellers 
often proceeded on foot, 'bj the roads along the north 
shore. 

Coming up from Lower Canada in midsummer, by the 
tedious water passage, which had then l3een somewhat re- 
lieved by canals and locks for bateaux, he noticed, as he 
reached the level of lake navigation, enormous flocks of 
pigeons, ' 'which during particular years, come down from 
the northern regions, in flights that it is marvellous to 
tell of." 

Besides these "pigeon years," they have also "bear 

years" and "squirrel years," in which, from abundance of 

food or other favoring causes, they appear in unusual 

abundance. 

"The former, like the pigeons, come down from the 
northern regions, and were most numerous in the neigh- 
borhood of Lakes Ontario and Erie, and along the upper 
parts of the River St. Lawrence. On arriving at the bor- 
ders of these Lakes, or of the River, if the opposite shore 
was in sight, they generally took to the water, and endeav- 
ored to reach it by swimming. Prodigious numbers of 
them were killed in crossing the St, Lawrence by the In- 
dians, who had hunting encampments at short distances 
from each other, the whole way along the banks of the 
river, from the island of St. Regis to Lake Ontario. One 
bear of very large size boldly entered the river, in the face 
of our bateaux, and was killed by some of our men whilst 
swimming from the main land to one of the islands. In 
the woods it is very rare that bears will venture to attack 
a man; but several instances that had recently occurred 
were mentioned to us, wiiere they had attacked a single 
man in a canoe whilst swimming ; and so very strong are 
they in water, that the men thus set upon, being unarmed, 
narrowly escaped with their lives. 

This abundance of bears in certain seasons has been 
noticed by other travelers. The distinguished German 



ISAAC WELD, Jr. 

traveler and geographer Dr. J. G. Kohl,' whose descrip- 
tions of this route are elsewhere quoted, in writing nearly 
sixty years afterwards, (in 1854), speaks of facts observed 
at a place in the neighborhood of Lake Simcoe, as follows : 

"The people had killed, in the course of the year, no fewer 
than thirty bears ; though the average number was not be- 
yond three or i our. I heard the same account throughout 
this journey in Canada. I heard everywhere of bears 
which this summer had broken into villages, or been killed 
in the neighborhood of human dwellings. It was said that 
so man}^ bears had never been known to have approached 
so near to man ; and that the deer, squirrels, and other 
children of the forest, had been equally numerous, the 
fields and gardens being fairly stormed by them. When I 
enquired for the cause of this fact, I could get no satisfac- 
tory solution. As the year was some times wet and some- 
times dry — as there was some times a great abundance of 
fish and some times scarcely any, as they had gathered this 
year twenty bushels of potatoes, where in general they had 
got only two; so there were 'bear years' and 'squirrel 
years, ' in which the beasts of the wilderness seemed to be 
in great commotion. Many suggested the great drouth 
that had prevailed this summer as an explanation. The 
sun had dried up the berries, nuts, and other wild plants, 
as well as the roots on which the bears and squirrels fed, 
and so compelled them to come begging to man." 

In a separate work entitled ' 'Kitchi-gami : Wanderings 

round Lake Superior,'' Mr. Kohl again remarks the 

migrations of the bears : 

"The bears, it appears, perform certain wanderings, reg- 
ulated by the season, from north to south, or from the for- 
est-clad districts to the more open j)arts. In Spring and 
Summer, so I was told, they migrate to the south, where 
a richer harvest of fruit and grain awaits them. In xiutumu, 
however, they return to the great forests, in order to stow 
themselves away for the Winter, in what the English call 
the pineries, the French, ' les hois forts. ' In Winter they 
would positively starve on the prairies and more open 
plains."^ 

(1) The bears had certain places for crossing rivers, and 



12I^ ISAAC WELD, Jr. 

The squirrels in 1796, contrary to the bears, migrated 
from the soutli, from the territory of the United States. 
Lilie the bears, they took to the water. On arriving at it, 
but as if conscious of their inability to cross a very large 
piece of water, they bent their course towards Niagara 
River, above the Falls, and at its narrowest and most tran- 
quil part, crossed over into the British territory. It was 
calculated that upwards of 50, 000 of them crossed the River 
in two or three days, and such great depredations did they 
commit on arriving at the settlements on the opposite side, 
that in one part of the country the farmers deemed them- 
selves very fortunate where they got in as much as one- 
third of their crops of corn. These squirrels were all of 
the black kind, said to be peculiar to the Continent of 
America. They are in shape similar to the common gray 
squirrel, and weigh from one to two pounds and a half 
each. Some writers have asserted that these animals can- 
not swim, but that when they come to the River, in migrat- 
ing, each one provides itself with a piece of wood or bark, 

this author gives much information about their habits, and 
the methods employed by the hunters in killing them. One 
of these places known as Passe a VOurs, on the St. Croix, a 
tributary of the Upper Mississippi, was particularly de- 
scribed. The year 1811 was a remarkable bear-year in Up- 
per Michigan, and over six thousand bears were killed on 
an island and shore adjacent, iu the course of one season. 
A hundred were sometimes killed in one night, and young 
bears were even taken out of the water by hand. 

The Indians of that region almost regarded the bear as 
endowed with human reason. They would speak to them 
as though they could understand, and they related stories 
about the tricks and cheating of bears that seemed almost 
incredible. 



ISAAC WELD, Jr. 125 

"upon which, when a favorable time appears, they embark, 
spread their bushy tails to catch the wind, and are thus 
wafted over to the opposite side."^ 

This author does not vouch for the truth of this state- 
ment, but adds that he had often shot them while swimming. 
They would take eagerly to the water, and their light and 
bushy tails for the most part floating on the water, helped 
to support the animal, and to direct its course. 

After noticing the excellency of the harbor at the mouth 
of the Oswegatchie, the capacity of the back country for 
navigation, the portages, through to the American mar- 
kets, and its natural superiority to Oswego, where the 
mouth of the river was obstructed by sand-bars, he remarks 
that the Seneca, a British vessel of war, of 26 guns, had 
formerly plied constantly between the mouth of the Oswe- 
gatchie and Niagara, as also the British fur-ships engaged 
in the remote Indian trade. With a fair wind, the passage 
from Oswegatchie to Niagara could be accomplished in two 
days — a voyage only one daj'" longer than from Oswego. 

There was then an Indian village just below the Oswe- 
gatchie river, at a place called La Galette, that numbered 
about one hundred warriors. 

His description of the voyage to Kingston is as follows : 

" The current of the St. Lawrence, from Oswegatchie 
upwards, is much more gentle than in other parts between 
Montreal and Lake Ontario, except only where the river 
is considerbly dilated as at Lakes St. Louis and St. Fran- 

(1) Weld's Travels, 1\, 4,^. He remarks that these " squir- 
rel years " usually precede severe winters, and in that case 
observed this proved emphatically true. 



126 ISAAC WELD, Jr. 

cos; ho . V ever, nothwithstauding its being so gentle, we 
did not advance more than twenty-five miles in tlie course 
of the day, owing to tlie numerous stops tliat we made, 
more from motives of pleasure than necessity. The even- 
ing was uncommonly fine, and tow^irds sunset a brisk gale 
sprang up, the conductor judged it advisable to take ad- 
vantage of it and to continue the voj-age a.l ni ht, in order 
to make up for the time we had lost during the day. 

"We accordingly proceeded, but towards midnight the 
wind died away. This circumstance, however, did not al- 
ter the determination of the conductor. The men were or- 
dered to the oars, and uoiw thstandiug that the}' had labor- 
ed hard during the preceding day and had no rest, yet they 
were kept closely at work until day-break, except for one 
hour, during which the}^ were allowed to stop to cook their 
provisions. 

"Where there is a gentle current, as in this part of the 
river, the Canadians will work at the oars for manv hours 
without intermission ; they seem to think it no hardship to 
be emploj'cd in this instance the whole night ; on the con- 
trary, they plied as vigorously as if they had but just set 
out, singing merrily the whole time. The French Cana- 
dians have in general a good ear for music, and sinz duets 
with tolerable accuracy. They have one very favorite duet 
amongst them, called the "rowing duet," which as they 
sing they mark time to, with each stroke of the oar; indeed, 
when rowing in smooth water, they mark the time of most 
of the airs they sing in the same manner. 

"About eight o'clock the next, and eighth morning of our 
voyage, we entered the last lake before you come to that of 
Ontario, called The Lake of a Thousand Islands, on ac- 
count of the multiplicity of them, which it contains. 

"Many of these islands are scarcely larger than a bateau, 
and none of them, except such as are situated at the upper 
and lower extremities of the lake, appearing to me to con- 
tain more than fifteen English acres each. They are all 
covered with wood, even to the very smallest. The trees 
on these last are smaller in their growth, but the larger 
islands produce as fine timber as will be found on the 
main shores of the lake. Many of these islands are situa- 
ted so closely together, that it would be easy to throw a 
pebble from one to the other. Notwithstanding which cir- 
cumstance, the passage between them is perfectly safe and 
commodious for bateaux, and between some of them that 



ISAAC WELD, Jr. m 

are even thus close to each other, is water sufficient for a 
frigate. The water is uncommonly clear, as it is in every 
part of the river from Lake St. Francis upwards, between 
that lake and the Utawas River downwards it is discolored, 
as I have before observed, by passing over beds of marl, 

' ' The shores of all these' islands under our notice are 
rocky; most of them rise very boldly, and some exhibit 
perpendicular masses of rocks towards the water, upwards 
of twenty feet high. The scenery presented to view, in 
sailing between these islands, is beautiful in the highest de- 
gree. Sometimes in passing through a narrow strait, you 
find yourself in a basin, land-locked on every side, that 
happens to have no communication with the Lake, except 
by the passage through which you have entered. You are 
looking about, perhaps, for an outlet to enable you to pro- 
ceed, thinking at last to see some little channel which will 
just admit your bateaux — when suddenly an expanded 
sheet of water opens upon you, whose boundary is the 
horizon alone. Again in a few minutes, you find yourself 
land-locked, and again a spacious passage as suddenly pre- 
sents itself; at other times, when in the middle of one of 
these basins, between a cluster of islands, a dozen different 
channels, like so many noble rivers, meet the eye, perhaps 
equally unexpectedly, and on each side the islands appear 
regularly retiring till they sink from the sight in the dis- 
tance. 

"Every minute during the passage of this Lake, the pros- 
pect varies. The numerous Indian hunting encampments 
on the different islands, with the smoke of their fires rising 
up between the trees, added considerably to the beauty of 
of the scenery as we passed through it. The Lake of a 
Thousand Islands is twenty-five miles in length, and about 
six in breadth. From its upper end to Kingston, at which 
place we arrived early in the evening, the distance is fifteen 
miles. 

"The length of time required to ascend the River St. Law- 
rence, from Montreal to Kingston, is commonly found to 
be about seven days. If tlit- wind should be strong and 
very favorable the*^ passage may be performed in a less 
time ; but should it, on the contrary, be adverse, and blow 
A'ery strong, the passage will be protracted somewhat 
longer. Am adverse, or favorable wind, however, seldom 
makes a difference of more than three da3"s in the length 
of the passage upwards, or in each case it is necessary to 



W8 ISAAC WELD, Jr. 

work the bateaux along by means of poles, for the greater 
part of the way. The passage downward is performed in 
two or three days, according to the wind. The current is 
so strong, that a contrary wind seldom lengthens the pas- 
sage in that direction more than a day." 

Kingston, as seen by Mr. Weld, just before the beginning 
of the present century, contained a fort, barracks for 
troops, an Episcopal church, and about a hundred houses, 
mostly inhabited by persons who had emigrated from the 
United States at the close of the Revolutionary war. Some 
of the houses were of stone or brick, but for the most part 
they were of wood. 

From sixty to one hundred soldiers were usually quar- 
tered in the garrison. The Town had a considerable 
amount of trade, and was growing rapidly in size, the 
goods and peltries of traders being here transferred from 
bateaux to vessels. The principal merchants were mostly 
partners of old-established houses in Montreal and Quebec, 
and the stranger, especially if a British subject, was sure 
to meet a most hospitable and friendly reception among 
them. 

Kingston was then the principal station for shipbuilding 
on the Lakes, and at that period, several decked merchant 
vessels, schooners, and sloops, of from 50 to 300 tons each, 
and numberless large sailing bateaux, were kept employed 
on Lake Ontario. There were then no vessels larger than 
bateaux owned on the south side of the Lake, and the Brit- 
ish vessels that plied between Kingston and Niagara, rarely 
touched at any other place. 

The heaviest item of ship-building at that period was 



J. C. GB EN. 129 

iron, which came from England, but great hopes were 
founded upon the copper of the Lake Superior country, 
which was then known to exist, but had not yet been 
worlied to much extent. 

The established rate of passage across the Lake was then 
two guineas in the cabin, and one guinea in the steerage, 
including board. Freight was 36 shillings Sterling per 
ton, or nearly as much as then charged across the Atlantic. 

JOHN C. OGDEN. — (1799.) 

This writer, who visited Canada near the close of the 
last Century, is nowhere explicit in dates, but the facts 
that he records afford an interesting view of the condition 
of the country as he observed it. ^ The church at St. Regis 
had just been built, and he speaks of it as a most distin- 
guished object, inferior to few in size, and built by the In- 
dians themselves, with a small assistance from the clergy, 
and some gentlemen of rank and fortune. Men, women 
and children had assisted the masons and carpenters, in 
procuring timber, stone and lime, and in every possible 
part of the labor. In speaking of the navigation and the 
river scenery, he says : 

' 'A water voyage through these Provinces from Kingston 
to Montreal, is enchanting and entertaining — cheap and 
expeditious, while much delay and many impediments put 
the patience to the proof, in attempts to pass into the coun- 
try against the stream. New objects present every mo- 
ment to draw the attention. The river — the broader waters 
of the Lake of St Francis — the rapids and islands, are 
full of novelty. 

(1) A Tour Through Upper and Lower Canada, by John 
G. Ogden, of the Episcopal Church, Wilmington, 1800. 



130 J. C. OGDEX.—MISS P. WAKEFIELD. 

"Among the first which attract notice, is a cluster called 
the Thousand Islands, where at least that number are col- 
lected together, not far from Lake Ontario, of various 
forms and sizes. Sometimes they are exhihited in a regu- 
lar line, and tlien surround us, vfliere to a stranger, no cer- 
tain outlet appears. These islands are not inhabited except 
b}' birds and wild animals. Fish are taken in abundance 
in most of the northern waters." 

PRISCILLA WAKEFIELD. 

This lady, author of "Juvenile Traveller," "Family 
Tour," etc., in a small volume printed in 1806, under the 
guise of "Letters from' Arthur Middleton," gives a series 
of sketches, not claimed as from her personal obser- 
vation. 1 

"In ascending the St. Lawrence — having passed the last 
rapid below the mouth of the Oswegatchie, the most con- 
siderable of those rivers within the territory that falls into 
the St. Lawrence, the current becoming gentle, we 
entered the Lake of a Thousand Islands. The multiplicity 
of small islets that cover its surface give it this name. They 
vary in size, from several miles around to a spot not bigger 
than our boat. All of them are covered with wood; and 
many of them are guarded ])y rocks and crags of fantastic 
shapes, that rise to a considerable height above the water. 
Nothing could describe the beauty and variety of prospects 
this Lake ailords. In some parts, our bateau seemed to 
be hemmed in by islands, whose rich foliage hung over the 
water. Between the trees were the hunting encampments 
of the Indians, when, on a sudden, a narrow passage led 
us into the open Lake. After enjoying these ever-changing 
views, we were landed at Kingston, a garrisoned town of 
great trade, situated at the mouth of a deep bay, at the 
north-eastern extremity of Lake Ontario." 

(1) Excursions in North America, described in Letters from 
a Gentleman and his Young Companion, to their Friends in 
England. By Priscilla Wakefield, London. 12 mo. 1806, 
p. 420. 



O. HERIOT.—G. ROGER. 131 

GEORGE HERIOT. — (1807). 

Mr. Heriot was Postmaster of British North America 
and the author of ' 'Descriptive Poem, written in tlie West 
Indies," (4to 1781)— "History of Canada," (8vo 1809,) and 
"Travels Tlirough Canada," (4to 1807.) The publication 
from which we quoted is an elaborate and profusely illus- 
trated work, and very full of information concerning the 
British Provinces, but its description of the Islands of the 
St. Lawrence is brief. He simply remarks that the Great 
River, for an extent of several miles, from Kingston, as far 
down as Augusta, is interspersed by a multitude of isles, 
as it spreads itself to a width, in some places, of ten or 
twelve miles, where this part has acquired the name of the 
Lake of the Thousand Islands, which he regarded as only 
a prolongation of Lake Ontario. 

CHARLES ROGER. — (Referring to 1813.) 

This Canadian writer, - in describing the navigation of 
the St. Lawrence in 1813, represents it as chiefly accom- 
plished in a kind of fiat-bottomed boat, of from thirty-five 
to forty feet in length and about six feet wide in the mid- 
dle, carrying from four to four and a half tons, and occu- 
pying from ten to twelve days in going from Lachine to 
Kingston. The boat was worked by oars, a mast and sail, 
drag-ropes for towing, and long poles for pushing them 

(1) Travels Through tlie Canadas, containing a DeBcHption 
of tlie Picturesque Scenery on some of the Rivers and Lakes, 
etc. London, 1807. 

(2) The Rise of Canada from Barbarism to Wealth and 
Civilization, by Charles Roger, Quebec, 1856. 



132 G. ROGER.— LIEUT. F. HALL: 

through the Rapids, while the bow was kept towards the 
shore by a tow-line held by the boat's crew, or attached to 
horses. 

"To convey stores from Lachine to Kingston during the 
war, required some tact. On one side were the British 
batteries, while exactly opposite was an American fort or 
earthwork, which, as the bateaux poled past Prescott or 
Brockville, could throw around shot or two in their imme- 
diate vicinity without very much trouble. 

"Indeed the Americans did very quietly send one or two 
cruisers and privateers to dodge about that Marine para- 
dise, the Thousand Islands, forming the delta of Lake On- 
tario, and covered to this day with timber to the water's 
edge — islands of all sizes and of all forms, gently rising out 
of the limped rippling stream, or boldly standing forth 
from the deep blue water, presenting a rugged, rocky moss- 
clad front to the wonder-struck beholder. 

LIEUT. FRANCIS HALL. — (1816.) 

This traveler ascended the St. Lawrence from Brockville 
to Kingston by bateau, having preferred a stage wagon to 
a bateau in the most of the previous part of his journey 
from Montreal. We begin his quotation at about this 
point :^ 

" I found the accommodation at Prescott so hard, that I 
seated myself at midnight in a light wagon in which two 
gentlemen were going to Brockville, and was thus so far 
jumbled into their acquaintance, that they politely offered 
me a passage to Kingston, in a boat belonging to the Navy, 
which was waiting for them at Brockville. 

" I am always unlucky on the water, whether it be in 
crossing the ocean, or a duck-pond. The wind proved 
contrary, and our boat pulled slowly against the current; 
it was, however, not so bad as the bateau voyage. I had 

(1) Travels in Ganada aiidthe United States, in 1816 and 
1817. By Lieut. Francis Hall, 17th Light Dragoon, H. P. 
Lawson, 2d Ed. 1819. 



LIEUT. F. HALL. — WM. DARBY. 133 

the advantage of agreeable company, and a good provision- 
basket, the contents of which were spread, towards noon, 
on a granite table, near the shore : a kettle was boiled at an 
adjacent cottage, and an excellent breakfast arranged, 
' sub tegmine fagi. ' Occasionly repetitions of the ceremony 
tended evidently to relieve the tedium of the journey, which 
lasted till the evening of the day after our embarkation, 

"The river banks, from the neighborhood of Brockville 
are of limestone, from 20 to 50 feet in height, and evident- 
ly grooved or hollowed by the tides of former ages. Im- 
mense masses of reddish granite are scattered along the bed 
of the stream, and sometimes project bare and bold from 
the shore. On two of these projections, there is a block- 
house, forming a prominent object at a considerable dis- 
tance. The Islands which crowd the approach to Lake 
Ontario, called from their number the Thousand Islands, 
have all a granite basis, but are clothed with cedar, pine, 
and abundance of raspberries ; the bed of the Gananoque 
is also of granite, and the lofty banks of the Kingston river, 
near the Mills, are of the same rock. * * * 

The Gananoque is rising into importance, from the circum- 
stance of a new settlement being formed under the auspices 
of the Government, on the waters with which it communi- 
cates. This settlement lies on the head lakes of the Rideau, 
and is meant to secure a communication betwixt Montreal 
and Kingston by way of the Uttawa, in case of another 
war. The settlers are chiefly disbanded soldiers, who 
clear and cultivate the land, under the superintendence 
of the Quartermaster-General's Department. Each man 
draws rations for himself and family, the expense of which 
is about five shillings per ration, so that it may be justly 
called a hot-house settlement." 

WILLIAM DARBY. — (1818). 

Mr. Darby was one of the surveyors on the Boundary 
Commission, and the author of many geographical and 
statistical works. He died at Washington, D. C, Oct. 9, 
1854. In describing the Islands, he remarks that those 
first met with in going down are low and flat, but that the 
Thousand Islands themselves seem to be a gigantic chain 



ISIt WM. DABBY.— J. M. DUNCAN. 

which crosses the River, and divides it into a maze, intri- 
cate beyond imagination, and presenting a scene more 
savage, rude and wild, than exists perhaps any where else 
upon earth. 

' 'The placid and most purely limpid water, reflects the 
broken rocks, and the few trees and shoals that rise amid 
their fractured ruins. No human habitation appears to 
enliven for an instant this picture of eternal waste. Pass- 
ing this region of silent desolation, a fairy scene opens; a 
scene that to me was the more delightful, because unex- 
pected Where the Thousand Islands terminate, the River 
opens first into a kind of bay, and then in two or three 
miles again contracts ; the shore rising on each bank by a 
gentle acclivity presents a country I have never before seen 
equaled, in respect either to soil or situation." 

JOHN M. DUNCAN. — (1819). 

In a Journal of Travels, in 1818-19, this writer descended 

the St. Lawrence, and recorded his observations. ^ 

' 'Another day or two might have been agi'eeably spent 
here, [at Kingston,] but October was closing upon me, and 
I feared that frost might Set in, which would make travel- 
ing both dithcult and disagreeable. It was. therefore, with 
pleasure that I learned that some bateaux were to go down 
the river the following morning, and I did not fail to be at 
the water side in time to secure a paasage by them, - * * 
The Durham Boats of the St. Lawrence are similar to those 
on the Mohawk. In smooth w^ater they use a sail or oars, 
but are forced up the rapids by incessant and laborious 
exertions with the pole. They are generally navigated by 
natives of the United States. The one in which I sailed in 
May, was according to the information of the Captain, 63 
feet in keel, and 11 feet 4 inches in beam. She carried 
about 26 tons, and drew onlj^ 28 inches of water. She had 
on board about 270 barrels of flour, which sunk her gun- 
wale within a few inches of the water ; and to defend us in 

(1) Travels through part of the United States and Canada, 
in 1818 and 1819; New York and New Haven, 1823. Mr. 
Duncan died in Glasgow, Oct. 3, 1825, at the age of 31. 



J. M. DUNCAN. 135 

passing through the rapids, a couple of stout planks, about 
a foot In breadth, were nailed along the sides; a precaution 
which, as we afterwards experienced, was no more than 
needful. 

' ' Bateaux are flat-bottomed boats, about half the size of 
the others, tapering to a point at each end, and so substan- 
tiall}" constructed that they will endure a great deal of hard 
knocking on the channel without danger to the passengers. 
The}^ douot sink so low in the water as the boats navigated 
by Canadian voyageurs, — veterans who have been trained 
from their youth to the use of the paddle and the setting 
pole, and Avho know every channel, rock, and breaker, in 
the rapids, from the Long Sault to Montreal. If a traveler 
doing down the River has his choice, let him by all means 
prefer the bateaux; it does not sail as fast as a Durham 
boat, and he may be a day longer in making the passage, 
but in ordinary cases he is far safer. 

' 'Passengers by either of these vessels must take with them 
a moderate supply of provisions, for it is not customary 
to go on shore except to sleep; and if the wind is 
ahead, four or five days may be spent between Kingston 
and Montreal. Going up the river is a far more tedious 
process. They should also be well provided, even in sum- 
mer, with cloaks or other coverings, for the night dews 
on the rivers are excessively cold. 

"The bateaux sailed from Kingston with a favorable 
breeze, between ten and eleven in the forenoon, and while 
the wind lasted got on gallantly ; but towards the afternoon 
we were almost becalmed in the Lake of a Thousand Isles, 
and our voyageurs were compelled to tug aw^ay at the oar. 
We had four rowers, besides the couducteur, who steered 
with a small paddle. The scenery of this Lake, as it is 
called, is very picturesque, but the succession of islands 
becomes at last tiresome, the more so that you find them 
take the wind out of the sail, and wofully retard your 
progress. I had made allowance for a reasonable propor- 
tion of exaggeration in its poetical name, but the Islands 
crowded upon each other in such numerous groups, and 
we w^ere so long in getting clear of them, that I began at 
last to doubt ■\\'iiether there might not be two thousand of 
them instead of one. 

' ' They are of all sizes ; some of them bare rocks, a few 
feet square, others two or three miles long, and thickly 



136 J. M. DUNCAN. 

wooded. Loch Lomond, with her two dozen islets, has 
long sheltered the manufacturers of the genuine peat reek 
from the scent of the Revenue officers ; but this must be the 
very paradise of smugglers, should such a trade ever be- 
come profitable in LTpper Canada — and a hopeless business 
it will be for the excise men who are sent to ferret them 
out. 

" Towards evening it began to rain ; but some of the com- 
pany on board were more disagreeable than the weather. 
* * * * But for their presence, I could have endured 
the rain for an hour or two, to listen to the boat songs of 
the Canadian Toyageurs, which in the stillness of the night 
had a peculiar pleasing effect. They kept time to these 
songs as the}^ rowed; and the splashing of the oars in the 
water, combined with the wildness of their cadence, gave 
a romantic character to our darksome voyage. 

' ' In most of the songs, two of the boatmen began the air, 
the other two sang a response, and then all united in the 
chorus. Their music might not have been thought ex- 
tremely fine, by those whose skill in concords and chro- 
matics forbids them to be gratified but on scientific princi- 
ples. My convenient ignorance of these rules allowed me 
to reap undisturbed enjoyment from the voj'ageurs' melo- 
dies, which like many upon Scotch airs, were singularly 
plaintive and pleasing. 

"Our conducteur expected to have reached Brockville that 
evening, a small town about 50 miles below Kingston, but 
we began to be somewhat impatient to get on shore. The 
evening was so dark, that we could with difficulty distin- 
guish even the shadowy outline of the river; not a sound 
was heard around us but the echo of the voices of those on 
board, or the plash of the oars ; and we were gliding along 
with no other convictions of safety than what arose in firm 
confidence in our boatmen. About eight o'clock a twink- 
ling light by the river's side broke upon our view ; we 
hailed the cheering spark, and urged the conducteur to 
haul in to the bank, in the hope of obtaining lodgings. It 
was a farmer's house ; a crackling fire of pine logs blazed 
on the ample hearth, festoons of sliced apples for winter 
pies, hung round it to dry, and the comfortable kitchen 
contrasted most agreeably with our situation in the bateau 
in darkness and rain. The inmates made us welcome to 
their fire-side, and although not much used to entertain 



W. T. HARRIS. 137 

strangers, very soon provided for us a most comfortable 
supper. Hot steaks, fried bacon and potatoes for those 
who preferred it, tea and toast, were served up with an 
alacrity that would have done credit to a regular inn. It 
scarcely needs to be added, that we enacted wonders with 
the knife and fork. When the time of retiring came, every 
bed in the house was surrendered for our use ; but finding 
that I could not participate in one, unless I accepted a bed- 
fellow, I preferred my box-coat and the floor. 

About two o'clock next morning, we were aroused to re- 
sume our vo3^age. The boatmen before starting swallowed 
a plentiful allowance of soup thickened with meat and 
bread, very similar to what sailors call lobscoss ; the players 
fortified themselves for the water by an antiphogmatic of 
rum. 

The wind had shifted during the night, and was now 
right ahead. It was a genuine American North-wester, 
and blew as if it were resolved to take the skin off our 
cheeks. The water froze upon the oars, as they rose above 
the surface; and I never appreciated better the comforts of 
a thick traveling coat, and a fur cap. Our boatmen had to 
row without intermission; and although they did not al- 
ways pull very hard, they tugged away with amazing con- 
stancy. About nine o'clock in the morning, we reached 
Prescott, sixty-seven miles from Kingston." 

WILLIAM TELL HARRIS. — (1819). 

This English gentleman travelled with the view of learn- 
ing facts useful to emigrants, and came from Niagara to 
Kingston on the Steamer Frontenac. ^ He there changed it 
to the Charlotte, which set out about day-break. He was 
awakened by the discharge of a swivel on the bows, the 
signal employed to call out the passengers to witness the 
scener}^ of the Islands. He says : 

"In descending the Ohio, the ej'e was charmed by the 
rich luxuriance with which both Nature and Industry had 

(1) Remarks made during a Tour through the United 
States of America in 1817-18-19; London, 1831. 
9 



138 W. T. HARRIS.— J. HOWISOK 

adorned its sloping banks and numerous islands, and in the 
thought that here is fulfilling that promise ''on earth peace, 
good will towards men." Here the waters of the St. Law- 
rence are divided into numerous channels by islands and 
large rocks ; some bare, some where the cedar and the pine 
rear their spiral heads, while others assume the castellated 
form, and, partially covered w^ith moss, invite fancy to the 
ancient legends of holy and of haunted ground. A block- 
house here and there upon some of them, assisting in the 
delusion, 



works sublime 



To human art a sportive semblance bore, 
And yellow lichens coloured all the clime, 

Like moonlight battlements, and towers decayed by time." 

"They are known by the name of the Thousand Islands, 
though nearly double that in number ; some few of them 
are from four to five miles in extent, and in a state of im- 
provement, but the greater number are mere rocks. 

"At Brockville, a pretty village on the Canadian bank, 
about sixty miles below Kingston, the river widens, or 
rather is not so incommoded by islands as before, and con- 
tinues clear of any impediment to Prescott or Fort Wel- 
lington, where it is a mile and a quarter wide. "^ 

JOHN HOWISON. — (1820.) 

This author w^as two years and a half in Upper Canada, 
and in this time resided in various parts of the Province, 
where he enjoyed numerous opportunities for inspecting 
the new settlements. 

On the occasion described, he had come from below by 
land carriage as far as Brockville, but having had a hard 
experience in that mode of travelling, he determined to 
proceed from thence to Kingston by water. He says:^ 

(1) The width of the river at Prescott is about 1,600 
yards, or 4,800 feet. 

(1) Sketches of Upper Canada, Domestic, Local and Char- 
acteristic; to which are added Practical Deiailsfor the Infor- 
mation of Emigrants of every Class; and some Recollections of 
the United States of America. Edinburgh and London, 
1831. 



/. HOWISON. 139 

" I accordingly secured a passage in a bateau, and in the 
evening, after it got dark, I strolled to the side of the river, 
that I might ascertain whether or not my baggage was 
safely put on board ; and there I found the crew carousing, 
after the fatigues of the day. They had kindled a tire upon 
the beach, and were making ready supper. Some reclined 
around the tire, talking barbarous French, and utteriiig the 
most horrid oaths ; others sat in the boats, and sung Trou- 
badour songs ; and a third party was engaged in distributing 
the provisions. They resembled a band of freebooters. 
Most of them were very athletic, and had the sharp physi- 
ogomy and sparkling eyes of a Canadian. The red glare 
of the tire communicated additional animation to their rude 
features; and their bushy black beards and discordant 
voices rendered them rather a formidable looking set of 
people. 

"Early in the morning, I found the boatmen preparing to 
leave port. There were five bateaux, and this number con- 
stitutes a brigade. The crew of each boat consists of five 
rowers, and a man with a paddle to steer ; and the whole 
equipment was under the command and superintendence 
of an individual who was styled the conducteur. 

" The freshness of the morning breeze was rendered truly 
delightful by the odor proceeding from young pine trees, 
which grew in profusion on each side of the river; and as 
the sun arose, every little gale that shook the dew-drops 
from their branches seemed to scatter a thousand gems 
upon the bosom of the St. Lawrence. The noise of the 
oars sometimes started the deer which were browsing along 
the bank, and I occasionally saw them thrust their beauti- 
ful heads through the branches, and then suddenly start 
away into the recesses of the forest. 

" The water of the river is exquisitely pure and transpar- 
ent, and when it sparkles round the oars, one is almost in- 
duced to drink it, whether he feels thirsty or not. * * 

"After rowing nearly two hours, we landed upon a small 
island, and the boatmen began to make ready breakfast for 
themselves. They take a meal regularly every four hours 
during the twenty-four, and it is to be supposed that the great 
labor they undergo must create a proportionate appetite ; 
but it does seem astonishing that they should be contented 
with the quality of the provisions they subsist upon. Pork, 
pea-soup and biscuit, compose their daily fare ; and though 



UO J. H0WI80N. 

they give their meals the appellations of breakfast, dinner, 
etc. , this distinction is founded upon the time at which they 
are taken, not upon the difference of the articles presented 
at each. 

' * But notwithstanding all this, they are the happiest race 
of people imaginable. Inured to hardships, they despise 
it; and after toiling at the oar during the whole day, and 
lightening their labor with songs and jests, when night 
comes, they kindle a fire and sleep around it, in defiance of 
the elements and everything else. The men having re- 
freshed themselves, took to their oars with alacrit}', and we 
again stemmed the translucent surges of the St. Lawrence. 
There is something so wearisome and depressing in the 
steady unvaried motion of the bateau, and the regular 
noise of the oars, that when the banks of the river present- 
ed no variety, I often felt an uncontrollable desire to sleep, 
though I had been particularly warned to resist any incli- 
nation of the kind, because an indulgence in it would pro- 
duce the ague; however, the fear of an attack was not 
strong enough to enable me to keep my eyes open, and I 
enjoj^ed several slumbers in the course of the passage, with- 
out experiencing any bad consequences, 

' ' We now entered that part of the river which is called the 
Lake of the Thousand Islands. The St. Lawrence expands 
into a large basin, the bosom of which is diversified by 
mj'riads of islands, and these are characterized by every 
conceivable aspect of nature, being fertile, barren, loft}^ 
low, rocky, verdurous, wooded and bare. Some are a 
quarter of a mile long, and others only a few yards ; and I 
believe, they collectively exhibit, on a small scale, a greater 
variety of bays, harbors, inlets and channels, than are to 
be found throughout the whole continent of America. Na- 
ture seems to have thrown sportively from her hand a pro- 
fusion of masses of the material world, that she might per- 
ceive what combinations of scenery would be produced 
when they assumed their respective positions on the bosom 
of the waters. 

' ' The number of islands has never been correctly ascer- 
tained, but it is generally supposed to exceed seventeen hun- 
dred. Many of them are of little value, being covered 
with scraggy pine, and having no depth of soil, and I be- 
lieve, any person, whose romantic fancy might inspire him 
with the desire of possessing one, would find no difficulty 



CAPTAIN BLANEY. Ul 

in getting it granted by Government But some of the 
larger islands would form delightful little farms ; and the 
energies of a future people may perhaps bring them under 
cultivation, and embellish them with all the beauties that 
arts and agriculture can communicate. When this takes 
place, the scene will realize all that fairy loveliness in 
which eastern historians have delighted to robe the objects 
of the material world. 

" The scene reminded me of the beautiful descriptions of 
the Happy Islands in the Visions of Mirzah, and I thought 
at the time, that if the Thousand Islands lay in the East, 
some chaste imagination would propose, that they should 
be made an asylum for suffering humanity, and distributed 
accordina; to the respective virtues and merits of those who 
deserved them."'^ 

Our writer here introduces the description of a night 

scene upon the Islands, and a deer-hunt, involving details 

which our space will not admit. 

CAPTAIN BLA-^ EY. — (1822.) 

This writer publishes his observations anonymously. ^ 

" Some fine Steamboats ply from this place [Kingston] to 
Prescott a distance of seventy-five miles. The broad 
expanse of the St. Lawrence, from its origin in Lake On- 
tario to Brockville, twelve miles above Prescott, is studded 
with numerous islands, which are covered with the most 
luxuriant foliage, wherever their rocky surface affords any 
place for trees to fix themselves. These, from their num- 
ber, have been called 'The Thousand Islands,' and this 
part of the St. Lawrence, * The Lake of the Thousand 
Islands," but their exact number was not known until the 
Commissioners for determining the boundary between the 
United States and Canada ascertained that there were 
1,692, reckoning as an island every rock on which there 
was a tree. These islands, being of various shapes and 
sizes, from the simple rock on which grows a solitary pine 

(1) See Addison's Spectator, No, 159. 

(2) An Excursion through the TJnited States and Canada 
during the year 1822-23. By an English Gentleman, Lon- 
don, 1827. 



U2 F. F. DE R008. 

or cedar, to the largest, eighteen miles in length, afford an 
infinite diversity of picturesque views. We sometimes 
glided through a small, narrow channel, bounded by per- 
pendicular rocks which almost touched the sides of the 
steam vessel. At other times, we entered a broader ex- 
panse, where the islands formed numberless beautiful vis- 
tas, which, from the rapid progress of the boat, were 
constantly varying. The pure, clear water of the St. Law- 
rence, so different from the muddy streams of the other 
American rivers, added considerably to the gene al effect. 
I never in my life beheld a scene of such romantic beauty. 

"The islands terminate at Brockville, and from thence to 
Prescott, the channel of the St. Lawrence is open and pic- 
turesque, being about a mile and a half wide, with bold, 
rocky banks on either side." 

The passage down the rapids was not yet attempted by 
steamboats, when this traveller passed, and he embarked 
on a flat-bottomed boat at Prescott. Of the Long Sault, 
he said: •' It was curious to see the velocity with which 
the trees on the bank appeared f o run past us ; indeed, the 
whole voyage afforded me a great deal of amusement, 
though when passing down some of the worst rapids, I 
was obliged to hold my breath, between fear and admi- 
ration." 

HON. FREDEKICK FITZGERALD DE ROOS. ^ — (1826.) 

This writer was a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy, and 
his attention naturally turned to dock-yards, ships, seamen, 
and the historical events associated with naval life. He 

(1) Personal Narrative of Travels in the United States and 
Canada in 1826. Illustrated by Plates. With remarks on 
the present state of the A7ne7'ican Navy. London, 1827. 
8vo. Pp. 207. 

This writer was promoted, January 19, 1828, to the rank 
of Commander, and February 7, 1836, to that of Captain 
in the Royal Navy. 



F. F. DE ROOS. 143 

made a rapid tour through the country, and closed ' ' with 
the satisfactory conviction that the naval strength of the 
United States has been greatly exaggerated ; that they have 
neither the power nor the inclination to cope with Great 
Britain in maritime warfare, far less to dispute with her 
the dominion of the seas." He admits, however, that 
"everything in America is upon a gigantic scale. How 
enormous are its resources ! How boundless its extent ! 
Its Lakes vie with the Ocean in magnitude, and its Prov- 
inces with mighty Empires. From the energies she has 
displayed in her infancy, to what powers may not her 
maturity aspire? " Of the voyage up from Prescott, he 
says: 

" There we found the Steamboat which was to convey 
us to Kingston, on Lake Ontario. It was widely different 
from those in which we recentl}^ journeyed, being hand- 
somely and comfortably fitted up. AX this spot, the scen- 
ery assumes a more interesting character and as we ap- 
proached the little village of Brock ville, the wo ;dy islands 
and rich banks of the river, whose enormous breadth con- 
tinues undiminished, formed a varied and delightful 
landscape. 

"We landed at the village, which has a church, wharves^ 
and every appearance of prosperit}^ ; though only ten years 
ago, the forest-tree reigned the undisturbed possessor of the 
soil ; — with such rapid strides has civilization invaded the 
solitudes of the wilderness ! If such has been the growth 
of Brockville in so short a period, what she may "be ten 
years hence who can say? Let it be remembered, however, 
in our speculations, that we are now in the country into which 
the superabundant population of Europe and America is 
pouring, and that such an extraordinary infusion of indus- 
try and vigor most naturally produce uncommon and un- 
locked for results. 

' ' In half an hour we again proceeded on our journey, and 
were fortunate in the state of the weather. The softness of 
a charming autumnal evening, enhanced our enjoyment of 



lU F. F. DEROOS. 

the beauties of "The Lake of the Thousand Islands," It 
bears this name, but there are, in reality, according to the 
last surveys, 1,700. The shores of these Islands are very 
bold, and the Steamboat shooting in and out among them, 
continually shifted the interesting scene. ThouLih exhibit- 
ing an endless variety of shape and size, they are all re- 
markable for the richness of their verdure. The whole 
extent of the Lake is never visible; the prospect being 
bounded by the Islands which immediately surround you. 
"In the evening, as we passed an opening, we came in 
sight of a new^ settlement on the American shore. Five or 
six log huts formed the only habitation of the infant col- 
ony. The thick wood was cut down in the immediate 
vicinity, and a few wretched-looking individuals were 
assembled around the blaze of a fire which burned in the 
centre. Never did I contemplate so dreary and hopeless a 
picture, nor a scene of such desolation : but even this place 
is already named 'Alexandria, ' and bids fair to become a 
prosperous vil'age; nor is it by any means improbable, so 
excellent is its situation, that it may in a few years possibly 
rival in size the city from which it derives its name. ^ 

"As the sun set below the Islands, the full moon rose in 
all her beauty. The light evening breeze had subsided 
into a calm ; not a breath of air ruffled the glassy surface 
of the waters. Impressed with the solemnity of the scene, 
I could not refrain from w'shing that here, at least, Xature 
might be permitted to reign unmolested ; but the solitary 
watch-fires of the recent settlers gave sufficient proof that 
though his tenure was as yet but frail, Man! rapacious and 
indefatigable Man ! was fast establishing his usurpation." 

CARL BERNHARD, DUKE OF SAXE-WEIMAR-EISENACH. 

(1826). 

This Prince, the brother of a former reigning Duke of 

Saxe-Weimar, and a relative of the present Empress of 

Germany, was born in 1792, and died July 31, 1862. In 

1825-26, he traveled in America, and in 1828 upon his re- 

(1) This place was named from Alexander LeRay, who 
fell in a duel in Texas, while serving in the Texan army in 
1836. 



D UEE OF 8AXE WEIMAR. 145 

turn to Germany, he published two volumes of Travels, 
which were also printed in London and at Philadelphia, in 
English. His Highness describes the country, its scenery, 
and its inhabitants, in a kindly and genial spirit, but with- 
out particular study or original research, and it has been 
remarked of it that "it excites respect for the man, more 
than admiration for the writer." His benevolent interest, 
and his detailed account of what he sees and hears, are the 
most remarkable traits. He says : 

"We left Kingston after eleven o'clock, on board the 
Steamboat 'Lady Dalhousie,' for Prescott, sixty-eight miles 
from Kingston, on the left bank of the St. Lawrence. We 
had scarcely left this place, before we sailed around a 
promontory on which stands Fort Henry, into the St. Law- 
rence. This river is here very wide, and forms an archi- 
pelago about fifty miles in length, called the 'Thousand 
Islands.' The English and American Commissioners for 
determining the boundary line, took the pains to count 
these Islands, and found that they amounted to 1,692; in 
this calculation, however, they have included every pro- 
jecting Y^Gk, even if it had but a single tree. 

"This archipelago presents a beautiful prospect; most of 
the Islands are rocky, and overgrown with trees, generally 
cedar. Here and there a lir reared its lofty head, which, gen- 
erally growing upon the bare rocks or where the trees are less 
numerous, presents a picturesque appearance. We observed 
something similar to the pictures of Frederick, of which we 
were reminded in descending the St. Lawrence. Eighteen 
miles from Kingston, our vessel stopped at the village of 
Gananoque, on the Canada shore, to take in wood. I went 
for a moment ashore, and found an insignificant village, in 
the neighborhood of which, the river of the same name, 
falls into the St. Lawrence. The Gananoque river has a 
rocky bed, and is crossed by a wooden bridge, beyond 
which, upon a small eminence is a square, two-story log 
house, the upper story of which was formerly occupied as 
a garrison by about forty men. 

"During the late war, the Americans got possession here 
of an English post and a magazine, in consequence of which 



146 ADAM FERG USOK 

they built this block-house. At the extremity of the archi- 
pelago of the Thousand Islands, is a similar block-house, 
for the protection of the navigation of the river. ^ 

ADAM FERGUSON.^ — (1831.) 

This traveller went up the river on a large Steamer and 
passed Morristown and Brockville, with a promise that 
he should be called before entering on the labyrinth of the 
Thousand Islands. At this point we begin his account: 

"Sunday, May 1. — About four this morning I was sum- 
moned on deck, and found the vessel moored to a natural 
wharf, where we had been taking in a supply of fuel. A 
set of free-and-easy woodcutters find a livelihood here, by 
clearing Government land of its timber, without troubling 
the authorities to collect value or rent. It consists of pine, 
and is not, I believe of much intrinsic value. A man may 
prepare two cords a day, but it is severe work, and the 
price, which is one dollar per cord, will do little more than 
compensate maintenance and labor. Our vessel takes about 
2,000 cords per annum. The morning was worthy of May- 
day, and I watched the gradual approach of sunrise with 
interest. The river, smooth as a mirror, reflected minutely 
on its surface every tree and every rock. We soon got in- 
volved among the Islands, the river expanding to a Lake, 
and deriving its name from the number. On every hand 
you observe numberless channels and wooded islands of all 
sizes and forms. Some are of considerable extent ; while 
others scarce admit of footing to the woodman, who seeks 
to rob them of their solitary pine. Many a flock of water- 
fowl did our paddles scare from their quiet haunts, while 
occasionally a majestic eagle might be seen soaring aloft. 
It was altogether a scene of much interest and beauty. 

"Our helmsman recounted to me a sporting feat of some 
novelty which occurred last fall, and ended in the capture 
of a fine buck, observed swimming among the Islands, and 
which, after many a double, was fairly run down by the 

(1) Referring to "Bridge Island." See page 81. 

(2) Practical Notes made during a Tour in Canada aiid a 
portion of the United States in MDCCCXXXI. By Adam 
Ferguson, of Woodhill Advocate. Edinburgh, 1833. 



J. MACOREGOR. W 

Steamer, encumbered at the time by four h^avy Durham 
boats towing at her stern. We stopped for a little at 
Gananoque, where a fine mill-stream pours iuto the St. 
Lawrence, and has led to a thriving establishment of flour 
mills, a cooperage, etc. , with a well cultivated farm, the 
property of Mr. McDonnell." 

JOHN MACGREGOR. — (1830?) 

This writer was Secretary of the Board of Trade, and 
the author of a great number of works upon Commercial 
Statistics and National Economy, of which, perhaps, the 
most interesting to Americans are his "Progress of Amer- 
ica, from the Discovery by Columbus to the year 1846," 
in two royal octavo volumes of 1,520 and 1,480 pages, 
published in 1847, and the work from which the extract 
below given was quoted. His descriptions are generally 
concise, although at times remarkably comprehensive. Of 
the St. Lawrence in this vicinity, he briefly says:^ 

"From Prescott, nearly opposite to which stands the 
American village of Ogdensburgh, Steamboats run to 
Kingston, passing between the little British town of Brock- 
ville and the American town of Morristown, and then 
through the Lake of the Thousand Islands, the charming, 
picturesque scenery of which has been so frequently ad- 
mired, 

"At Kingston, the St, Lawrence frigate of 112 guns, the 
Psyche frigate, and two or three other ships of war, with 
several gunboats, were lying in the harbor, rotting, and in 
nearly a sinking state. The dock-yard was furnished wHth 
every article of naval stores required to equip ships of 
war. There w^ere two seventy-four gun ships, a frigate, a 
sloop of war, and eleven gunboats, which had reposed on 
the stocks, and under cover, since the war. They were 
not planked, and men were employed to replace any piece 
of timber that might be decaying. The wooden work of 

(1) British America. In two volumes. Edinburgh and 
London, 1832. 



148 J. MAC OREOOR.—H. TUDOR. 

the Psyche frigate had been sent out from England to a 
country where it could be provided on the spot, in one- 
tenth of the time necessary to carry it from Montreal to 
Kingston, and at one-twentieth part of the expense. Even 
wedges were sent out; and to exemplify more fully the 
information possessed at that time by the Admiralty, a 
full supply of water casks were sent to Canada for the use 
of ships of war on Lake Ontario, where it was only neces- 
sary to throw a bucket overboarti with which to draw up 
water of the very best quality. 

"Kingston harbor was at the period of Mr. McGregor's 
visit, crowded in the Summer with sloops, Durham boats, 
bateaux and scows, and he regarded its position as one 
that would always secure to it a great share of trade." 

HENKY TUDOR. — (1831.) 

In 1831-2, Henry Tudor, Esq., Barrister-at-Law, made a 
tour in North America and the West Indies, and in 1834 
published a narrative of his observations. ^ He appears to 
have had no particular object in view, beyond that of per- 
sonal observation in the country, and recorded his opinions 
of persons and places with impartial fairness, and in the 
epistolary form. 

He came from westward by Steamer in August, 1831, 
and at Kingston saw several large ships, one or two of 
which had been destined to carry one hundred guns each, 
which had been commenced in the war of 1813, and then 
lay unsheltered and falling into decay. 

The Rideau Canal, then under construction, attracted 
his attention, and its objects and probable influence upon 

^Narrative of a Tour in North America, comprising Mex- 
ico, the Mines of Real del Monte, the United States and the 
British Colonies; with an Ex'cursion to the Island oj Cuba. 
In a series of letters written in the years 1831-2. In two 
volumes. London, 1834. 



H. TUDOR. U9 

the welfare of the country, were discussed at length. He 

says : 

"But I come now, to scenery -that will perhaps delight 
you more than either canals, or ships, or sailors. I have 
brought you to the very shores of the splendid St. Law- 
rence, which, as I mentioned before, receives its crystal 
flood at Kingston, from the waters of Lake Ontario, ter- 
minating at that place. From this, its noble source, it 
rolls along its majestic and expansive stream, fertilizing the 
lands and domains of a thousand cities, towns and villages, 
Ijing on its banks, through a distance of 700 miles to the 
Ocean. The scene now presented to me, and extending 
throughout the day's excursion of seventy miles, to Pres- 
cott, displayed all the attractions of novelty, united with 
the most exquisite beauty. Shortl}' after entering the River, 
which is several miles in breadth, you approach the broken 
and undulating outline of a region of Islands. The}' are 
Q.d^{%(!i jxir -eminence, 'The Thousand Islands"; nor does the 
figure, as if lending a poetical charm bj' the multiplication 
of numbers, outstrip the fact; since, I believe, the wiiole 
group amounts to fourteen or fifteen hundred, scattered in 
all directions on the surface of this 'shining river.' 

' ' Nothing can be imagined more lovely and picturesque 
than winding your constantl}^ meandering course through 
this verdant labyrinth. All the endless varieties of shape, 
color, height, size, and contour, are exhibited in ever- 
changing appearances. Their forms, indeed, are as diver- 
sified as their numbers. Some of them, covered with a 
rich, green sward, repose on the stream, so nearly level 
with it, as if floating down upon its bosom; others elevate 
their summits in bold perpendicular ascents, crowned with 
the most luxuriant foliage ; and here and there is seen an 
islet, formed of fantastic rocks, piled on each other, and 
contrasting their rugged and barren surface with the smil- 
ing fertility of the rest. On some few of these fairy 
islands you perceive a cottage, or a log house, rearing its 
simple structure amid this landscape of loveliness and silent 
beauty, and affording a pleasing relief, in the symptoms of 
human existence which it offers to the otherwise unbroken 
solitude that reigns around. On another side, you see 
a natural terrace, or a glade, peeping forth from its 
half -concealed position in a wood; while the transparent 



150 J. S. BUCKINGHAM. 

water casts back from its placid current the rocks and trees 
by which it is overshadowed. 

" The endless succession of objects that regale the eye as 
you thread the maze of isolated rocks and woods, basking, 
in countless numbers, on the sunny element, brings home 
to your imagination all the enchanting visions of Arabian 
and Oriental descriptions. 

"I was forcibly reminded of the interesting Straits of 
Malacca, through which I sailed a few years ago on my 
passage to China, and presenting a similar aspect; and 
where several of the islands, though larger and much more 
numerous, exhibit in the grotesque shapes the forms of 
crocodiles, rabbits, alligators and other singular animals. 
Nothing, however, can exceed, if equal, the ' Thousand 
Islands ' of the St. Lawrence. Here Nature has wrapped 
herself in all the witchery of her silent charms, and here 
her lonely and soothing beauty speaks a language to the 
heart, unfelt by the proudest works of man." 

J. S. BUCKINGHAM. — (1839.) 

James Silk Buckingham was born in Flushing, England, 
in 1786, and closed a life of extraordinary vicissitudes 
June 30. 1855. He had travelled extensively in Europe, 
Asia and Africa, was a voluminous and graceful writer, 
an able lecturer, and a man of vast and varied informa- 
tion generally. His books of American travel, in nine 
illustrated octavos, form the most extensive series yet pub- 
lished b}^ any one writer, and are regarded as of great 
value. They discuss questions relating to education, 
morals, manners, manufactures, trade and commerce, with 
fairness, and indicate his freedom from prejudice, while 
they prove the benevolence of his heart. His voyage 
down this part of the St. Lawrence was made in the 
Steamer DolpMn, in August, 1839, and of the passage he 
says:^ 

(1) Buckinghara' s Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. 
p. 83. 



/. 8. BUCKINGHAM. — G. COMB. 151 

" The weather was very beautiful, and as we soon got 
among the Thousand Islands, which here stretch them- 
selves along the centre of the St. Lawrence for a distance 
of forty mi^les, we had abundant exercise for all our facul- 
ties. The main stream of the St. Lawrence, as it flows 
from the western termination of Lake Ontario, is about 
twelve miles wide ; but it is so thickly studded with islands 
that it is like passing through a vast Archipelago, rather 
than navigating a River. Though this extensive range 
bears the name of The Thousand Islands, it is said that 
there are more th-m 1,600 of them, which I can readily 
believe. The largest of them are from eight to ten miles 
in length, and four to five in breadth ; and the smallest of 
them covers perhaps an acre of space. They are for the 
most part rocky, sometimes rising in abrupt cliffs from the 
water, and so bold and steep that you may run the boat 
near enough almost to touch the cliffs from the vessel ; a 
few only are low and flat, but being nearly all wooded, 
they form a perpetual succession of the most romantically 
beautiful and picturesciue groups that can be conceived. 
The water of the St. Lawrence is of a bright green tinge, 
and beautifully clear, much clearer than the upper part of 
the Mississippi; almost, indeed, as transparent as Lake 
Huron itself; and from its majestic breadth, its rich and 
varied scenery, and the settled population seen along its 
banks, the St. Lawrence has a grandeur, as well as a va- 
riety and beauty, about it which no other River that we 
have yet seen on this Continent possessed in an equal 
degree." 

GEORGE COMB. — (1839). 

Mr. Comb was born at Edinburgh, Oct. 21, 1788, and 
was educated as a lawyer. At the age of thirty he became 
interested in Phrenology, as expounded by Gall and Spurz- 
heim, and during the whole of his subsequent life, which 
ended in 1858, he devoted himself to the promotion of this 
study, in which he wrote and published much. He de- 
livered courses of lectures in various parts of Great Britain 
and America, ^ and some of his writings were extensively 

(1) Notes on the United States of North America, during 
a Phrenological Visit in 1838-39-40. Edinburgh; 3 Vols., 
1841. 



152 a. COMB. 

published in French, German and Swedish. Among his 
later studies were questions of reform in Prison Discipline 
and Criminal Legislation. Under date of June 28, 1839, he 

says : 

"The Steamboat was large, and had excellent accommo- 
dations. We sailed all night, and at 7 a. m. touched at the 
American town of Oswego. * * * At 2 p.m., we 
arrived at Kingston. The St, Lawrence commences here. 
When we were at Niagara Falls, General Scott mentioned 
to us that a plot was suspected to be hatching by the 
disaffected Canadians and their American allies, to burn 
the British Steamboats on the St. Lawrence; that he had 
communicated all the information he possessed on the sub- 
ject to the British officers, and had also instructed the 
American officers to observe the strictest watch to defeat 
the scheme. At Kingston we entered another Steamboat, 
and soon saw that General Scott's information was acted 
on. We were boarded by a British sergeant and corporal, 
and a party of soldiers. The sergeant mustered them on 
the dock, gave the words 'shoulder arms,' 'open pans,' and 
then went along the line and examined every lock and 
flint, to see that it was fit for service. The arms were then 
piled on deck, and we commenced our voyage. The River 
is here ten miles broad, strewed with a Thousand Islands, 
varying from a foot square to many hundreds of acres in 
extent, all covered with bushes or timber. The evening 
was fine, and the scene was highly picturesque as we glided 
among them. Their grouping and forms presented a new 
picture every five minutes, and all graceful and rich. At 
sunset the sergeant again mustered his men, and placed 
three sentinels; one near the paddle-box on the American 
side ; one on the stern on the same side, and one in the 
bow. It was moonlight. We approached a large barge 
lying at anchor close to the shore. 'What boat, a-hoy ?' 
cried the soldier on the bow. No answer. We approached 
close to her. She was a lumber boat, with nobody 
aboard." 

CHARLES DICKENS. — (1842.) 

In the summer of 1842, Charles Dickens, the well known 
English novelist, made a journey in America, and pub: 



C. DICKENS. 153 

lished his observations in a book entitled ' 'American Notes 
for General Circulation," a work which many persons have 
regarded as anything but just or fair in its conclusions, or 
creditable to the author. He had already made an exten- 
sive tour through the States, and approached this region 
by way of Steamer from Niagara. His record of present 
interest is as follows : 

"We left Kingston for Montreal on the 10th of May, at 
half-past nine in the morning, and proceeded in a Steam- 
boat down the St. Lawrence River. The beauty of this 
noble stream at almost any point, but especially in the 
commencement of this journey, where it winds its way 
among the Thousand Islands, can hardly be imagined. The 
number and constant succession of these Islands, all green 
and richly wooded ; their fluctuating sizes, some so large, 
that for half an hour together, one among them will appear 
as the opposite bank of the river, and some so small that 
they are mere dimples on its bosom, — their infinite variety 
of shapes, — and the numberless combinations of beautiful 
forms which the trees growing on them present; — all form 
a picture fraught with uncommon interest and pleasure."^ 

REV. GEO. LEWIS. — (1844.) 

This writer came to America upon a religious errand, 
and much of his book is devoted to an account of the in- 
terests with which he was connected. ^ 

" I left Kingston on the morning of the 13th of June, 
sailing down the St. Lawrence, by the Highlander Steamer, 
The weather was splendid, the river broad and beautiful — 
the noblest sheet of running water I ever beheld. As we 
descended, we entered among the Thousand Islands, that 

(1) The New World Edition of ''American Notes for 
General Circulation,,'' p. 37. 

(2) Impressions of America and tJie American Churches^ 
from a Journal of ths Rev. G. Lewis, one of the Deputation 
of the Free C hurch of Scotland to the United States. Edin- 
burgh, 1845. 

10 



154 G. LEWIS.— W. GHAMBEBS. 

break this noble river into so many small lakes and narrow 
channels. The woods have nothing of the magnificence 
and rich foliage of the South, and remind you rather of 
the forests of the Scottish Highlands, presenting many a 
lovely combination of wood and water for forty miles, un- 
til you come to Brockville, a considerable town, which 
looked so tempting that I determined to spend a day there. 
I was so fortunate as to find the Canadian Methodist Con- 
fereuQe holding its sittings. This Conference consists of 
120 ordained preachers and has no bishops, the Episcopa- 
lian Methodists not being so numerous in Canada as in the 
States." 

WILLIAM CHAMBERS. — (1846.) 

William and Robert Chambers, deserve an honorable 
place in Literature, on account of their zeal and success in 
the diffusion of useful knowledge. Of these, the first was 
born in 1800, and in boyhood was thrown upon his own re- 
sources. He fell into the book-selling trade, and with his 
brother in 1833 began a popular periodical, followed by 
other publications which attained a well-merited success. 
Taking a cheap and attractive form, and being very judi- 
ciously edited, the brothers gave to the world a series of 
works, that sold in immense editions, and made their name 
widely known. William Chambers visited America in 
1853, and records his impressions of this region, in a jour- 
ney up the river from Montreal to the Lakes, as the scenery 
appeared to him, on a fine Indian-summer day:^ 

"We may be said now (after passing Brockville), to en- 
ter that beautiful and spacious part of the St. Lawrence 
known as the Lake of the Thousand Islands. The river 
is expanded to a width of from two to three miles, and so 
dotted over with islands, as to have apparently neither in- 

(1) Things as they are in America. By William Cham- 
bers, 1854, p. 97. 



REV. JAMES DIXON. 155 

gress or egress. The Islands are of all imaginable sizes and 
forms, from a single rock to several acres in extent. All 
are richly clothed with wood and shrubs, the variegated 
foliage of which contrasts finely with the smooth blue 
surface of the water. The sail for fifty miles amidst these 
irregularly formed Islands, situated at lesser or'greater dis- 
tances from each other, and many of them little paradises 
of beauty and fertility, is exceedingly charming, and to 
visit this part of the St. Lawrence is the object of numer- 
ous summer excursions from the United States. At certain 
points, light-houses are placed among the Islands, to show 
the proper track for navigation ; and we can suppose that 
without these guides, the vessels might chance to lose them- 
selves in a labyrinth of land and water. 

"The Islands continue until we reach Lake Ontario. 
One of the largest of the series is "Wolfe Island, twenty 
miles long and seven miles across, lying in the ,i reatly ex- 
panded river as it issues from the Lake; and here, on 
rounding a rocky and fortified promontory on the Canadian 
side, the vessel reaches its destination at Kingston. " 

REV. JAMES DIXON, D. D. — (1848.) 

In 1848, the Rev. James Dixon, D.D., under an appoint- 
ment of the British Conference, made a tour through the 
United States and Canada, and on his return to England 
published a volume giving his observations upon the coun- 
try, and his remarks upon Methodism. ^ His impressions 
of the St. Lawrence, as he descended by Steamer in June, 
are thus described, as he set out from Kingston : 

" Our Steamer from Montreal was awaiting our arrival, 
and after some time we got on board, and were soon off 
again for fresh scenes and a new destination. We at once 
got into the current of the St. Lawrence, and found our- 
selves in the midst of, I should think, the most perfect 
fairy scene in the world — the Thousand Islands. These 

(1) Personal Narrative of a Tour thorough a part of the 
United States and Canada; icith Notices of the History and 
Institutions of Methodism in America. New York, Lane & 
Scott. 1849. 



156 REV. JAMES DIXOK 

Islands are so called, not because they have been counted, 
— a definite being being put for an indefinite number. 
They extend from the singular union of waters by the ter- 
mination of Lake Ontario, the Bay of Quinte, and the 
head of the St. Lawrence, for a space of thirty miles. 
They are of every size and form, though never attaining 
any great elevation, and are all covered with trees and 
shrubs. Our passage lay in the midst of this wonderful 
group, through which we threaded our course safely, 
though it needed a most skilful pilotage. Some of the 
Islands appeared to occupy a considerable space on the 
bosom of the flood; but one isolated little thing, just stand- 
ing in our course, and requiring some tact to avoid, looked 
exactly like a flower-pot, with one plant growing in the 
centre, of diminutive size, reaching only the elevation 
which its scanty soil could nourish. So true is Nature to 
her laws! Had this tiny shrub risen higher, the winds would 
soon have levelled, and sent it floating in the water. 

" The day was clear, the sun bright, the winds soft and 
genial. Could anything more perfectly remind one of 
Paradise than this scene? No ruined castles, it is true, 
graced these Islands; no rising turrets covered with ivy, 
mantled these spots of primitive beauty; no baronial tra- 
ditions, no deserted halls, no banqueting rooms, once the 
scenes of revelry, of love, and of revenge, were here open 
to inspection. All was simple, primeval : — Nature clothed 
in her own attire of leafy loveliness. Not a building, not 
a cottage was seen. No ascending smoke, no signs of hu- 
man life, no bleating animals, no ploughman's note, no 
stroke of the woodman's axe, no labours of the spade or 
hoe, were anywhere visible : silence and repose reigned in 
these Islands, which in ancient times would have been peo- 
pled, in the imagination of poets, with nymphs and god- 
desses, without interrupting sound, except the whispers of 
the wind. Nature lay undisturbed in her own soft bed; 
cradled in the waters ; rocked in the elements, and soothed 
by the rippling stream as it passed along. This simple, 
primitive state of things has always been, from the time 
when God spoke Creation into existence ; or certainly, from 
the period when, some convulsion breaking off these frag- 
ments from the main-land. He stretched out His hand to 
place them in their present position, to show His love of 
beauty, and teach mankind lessons of grateful admiration. 

' ' One only inhabitant who has been known to dwell on 



XA VIER MARMIER. 157 

these Islands, was a sort of freebooter, who made them the 
headquarters of his piracy for some time. He shifted his 
abode as occasion dictated, in order to avoid detection; 
and, sallying forth upon passers-by, feeble enough to tempt 
his cupidity, plundered them of their effects, and then has- 
tened to his lurking places in the Islands, to enjoy the 
spoil. He was at last detected, and is is now expiating his 
offence in some distant prison, or living at large, with the 
brand of infamy upon his forehead, as the violator of the 
sanctities of a spot hallowed to innocence, peace and 
beauty." 

XAVIER MARMIER. — (1850.) 

This writer was born at Pontarlier, France, in 1809, and 
early evinced a passion for travel. Having visited Switzer- 
land and Holland, he came to Paris in 1831 Being well 
versed in German literature, he edited for ten years the 
Revue Germaniqiie, during which period he traveled and 
wrote much. In 1836-38, he went as the secretary of a 
scientific expedition to the north of Europe. He spent several 
weeks at Archangel, visited Iceland, Greenland, and other 
hyperborean regions, and after his return, published 
many works, among which may be mentioned, Travels in 
Iceland and Greenland, (7 vols., 8vo., with elaborate maps 
and numerous folio plates,) — the Literature of Denmark and 
Sweden, — Souvenirs of Voyages and Traditions, — 
Popular Songs of the North, — Letters upon Holland, 
and upon Russia, Finland and Poland, — Poesies of a 
Traveller, — The Rhine and the Nile, — Letters upon 
Algeria, and upon the Adriatic, — A Summer on the Bal- 
tic, etc. , etc. , besides voluminous essays in Reviews and 
Magazines. He was recalled from travels to become Libra- 
rian of the Department of the Marine, and in 1847, was 



158 XAVIEB MABMIER. 

appointed in charge of the Library of Sainte Genevieve. 

He is still (in 1880), living in Paris. 

"We commence. his description of the St. Lawrence as he 

was passing up the river from Mon'real:^ 

"On the St. Lawrence, traversed b}^ steamboats, by ves- 
sels heavily laden, and by light bark canoes, we may see 
early in the season, immense rafts of timber that are 
brought down from the dense northern forests — hewn 
where they are felled, drawn to the rivers upon the snow, 
and made up into rafts. Their Canadian crews erect masts 
and spread their sails, and by the aid of wind and current, 
and sometimes by rowing, they boldly guide these acres of 
fir down the Rapids to Quebec — while they animate their 
labors with the melody of their popular songs. A part 
would intone the Canadian song 

"A la Claire Fontaine," 

while the others, repeating the last two lines, would at the 
same time let drop their oars, as those of the former arose. 

"There is probably no river on earth that has heard so 
many vows of love as the St. Lawrence; for there is not a 
Canadian boatman that has ever passed up or down the 
River, without repeating, as the blade of his oar dipped 
into the stream, and as it arose, the national refrain : 

" ' II y a longtemps que je t'aime, 
Jamais je ne t'oublierai ! 

" 'Long time have I loved thee. 
Ne'er will I forget thee.' 

"And I will here say, that there is a harmonious sweet- 
ness in these simple words, that w^ell accords with the 
simple yet imposing character of the scenery of this charm- 
ing region. 

"Upon our coquettish Rivers in Europe, they may whis- 
per of loves, along their flowery banks, and under the vine- 
clad branches that overhang them like the curtains of a 
saloon ; — but here, in this grand severity of Nature — upon 
these immense and half desert plains, — in the silence of 
these gloomy forests, — on the banks of this majestic River 

(1) Letters sur L'Amerique, Par X. Marmier. Canada — 
Etats- Unis — Havane — Rio de la Plata; 2 Vols. Paris. 1851. 



XA VIER MARMIER 159 

that is ever speeding onward to tlie eternal Ocean, we may 
feel emotions that are truly sublime. If in this quiet soli- 
tude, should we open the soul to a dream of love, it takes 
the serious tone ; it need should be a pure being, that dares 
to breathe to the heavens and to the waves these sacred 
words, "I love thee," and that should add the promise and 
the pledge of the Canadian song — 

' Jamais je ne t'oublierai, 
' Ne'er will I forget thee.' 

Amid emotions like these, which the aspect of this vast 
expanse of River and shores without limit inspired, I will 
n ote, only to acquit my conscience, that we passed various 
villages and cities, some nearer, some more remote, on the 
right hand and on the left : Mariatown , Moulinette, Pres- 
cott, Ogdensburgh, Brockville. 

"So animated and flourishing did these masses of habi- 
tations appear, that I almost looked upon them with impa- 
tience. It seemed to me as if they had no right to be 
there, to trouble with their little bustle of life, and to pro- 
fane by their petty traffic, the religious repose and august 
grandeur of the scene. 

" But I have reached that wonderful point of view, the 
Lake of the Thousand Isles. Imagine a vast English Park, 
with its massive trees, its hills and slopes, and its laps of 
verdure. Replace its green turf with water, blue, trans- 
parent and crystalline. Do I give you in the comparison 
some idea of this beautiful lake? No, I dare not hope to 
believe this. Over an area twelve leagues long, and two or 
three wide, on whichever side you turn your eyes, you see 
nothing but Islands of every kind and form, — some raising 
their pyramidal heads boldly above the water, others 
lying just above the level of the River, as if bowed to re- 
ceive its blessing as it passed. Some are bristling with 
firs and pines — others lie open and level like a field await- 
ing the husbandman's care. Some are but an arid rock, as 
wild and picturesque as those we see among the Faroe 
Islands ; others have a group of trees, or a solitary'" pine, 
and others bear a crown of flowers, or a little hillock of 
verdure, like a dome of malachite, among which the River 
slowly glides, embracing with equal fondness the great and 
the small, — now receding afar, and now retracing its 
course, like the good patriarch visiting his domains, or like 
the god Proteus counting his snowy flocks. 



Ma XA VIER MARMIER. 

"No, surely, these cannot be the Isles of Greece, with 
their mantle or light and their balmy fruits — the poetic 
isles that inspired the Song of Homer, and crowned with 
flowers the brow of Anacreon — the voluptuous isles which 
bore the immortal Paphian beauty, the alma mater of 
Lucree, that intoxicated to death the senses of Sapho. No, 
this is neither Rhodes, that still appears before my eyes, 
nor yet Cypress, that I long to see again, nor Lemnos. 
These are more captivating and sweeter still. It seems as 
though a Fairy, a friend of man — that a Titania from the 
North, had in its sport with Ariel, scattered all these Islands 
upon this mirror of the waves, and these mysterious woods, 
and mounds of verdure, to awaken by their aspect, thoughts 
of goodness, with those who pass this way. 

" ' Que faire dans iin gite a moins que I'on ne songe ?' 

•' ' What should be done in such a place of repose, if not to dream ?' 

' ' While passing the Lake of the Thousand Isles, I was 
all alone in my little room at the end of the boat — and can 
you guess what idea struck me? It was another Icaria; 
it was a project which reminded me of the virtuous Cabet! 

"But you will hardly wait to hear me tell you what has 
M. Cabet to do with this affair ? Have patience ! You 
know that I am not in the least degree tainted with the 
Communistic idea : Therefore re-assure yourself — for I am 
not about to develop any new plan, for one of those amia- 
ble societies that are to regenerate old humanity. I was 
only letting my poor fancy dwell upon what might be a 
happy colony of friends, each having his island, his Patmos, 
to retire to as to a hermitage, and to go forth from as to a 
revelation. As these islands are still for the most part 
nameless, the}^ might be christened as their souvenirs and 
their affections might lead. On the Summer evenings, they 
might go out in their light gondolas, and with the songs of 
Tasso, inhale the freshness of the Lake in the cooling shades 
of the environs. In Winter, they might glide from place to 
place upon their sledges or their skates, without fear of 
being thrown down by an omnibus, or of falling into a 
mob, or of ever hearing among these Philosophic Isles a 
dozen of those good apostles of Socialism, extolling their 
panacea of Universal Good. 

"What say you to my dream? There are those who 
might stop me short by asking — 'How are people to live, 
upon these barren rocks, and amid these hoary solitudes in 



J. J. AMPERE. 161 

Winter?' But honestly — had we not ran against such ob- 
stacles, here are ways for making this dream possible." 

J. J. AMPERE. — (1851.) 

Jean Jacques Ampere, was the son of Andr^ M. Am- 
pere, the celebrated French Savan, who became eminent 
for his Mathematical and Philosophical researches, especial- 
ly in electro-magnetism. The son was born at Lyons, in 
1800, studied at Paris under his father, and became distin- 
guished for the ardor and success with which he pursued 
various branches of literature. In 1833 he became a Pro- 
fessor of Belles Lettres in the College of France, and in 
1842 was elected to the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles 
Lettres. He published a History of Poesy, and various 
works of Foreign Travel in Scandinavia and other coun- 
tries, besides special researches of various kinds. He was 
much occupied with Egyptian Hieroglyphics, which he 
learned to decipher with facility. He died in Paris in 
1864. 

This accomplished and pleasant writer, in the dedication 
of his work to M. Alexis de Tocqueville, attributes to him 
the inspiration of a desire to visit America, from a reading 
of his Democratie en Amerique, which in its English dress 
is well known to our countrymen. He arrived in the 
autumn of 1851 at New York, and after visiting Boston, 
found his way northward to Quebec, and from thence 
ascended the St. Lawrence. After visiting the Indian vil- 
lages below, and having pleasant interviews with Father 
Marcou, he arrived one Saturday morning in the early part 
of October, at Ogdensburgh, where our quotation begins:^ 

(1) Promenade en Amerique Etats- Unis, Cuba, Mexique. 
Paris, 1858; 2 vols. 



162 J. J. AMPERE. 

"The night was spent in passing through the locks of 
the canal made along the St. Lawrence, for the purpose of 
surmounting the Rapids. We arrived at Ogdensburgh, and 
they took pains to inform us (they omit nothing in Amer 
ica), that we must here change boats. They set me and my 
baggage quickly ashore, where several large Steamers lay 
smoking and ready to i-tart for different points. As we 
knew not which to take, we were obliged to get informa- 
tion as best we could, but nobody appeared to guide me, or 
carry my baggage, and in the meantime some of the Steam- 
ers were off. The one we were to take, however, still lay 
at the wharf, but it did not leave this evening, nor on 
Sunday, so we were obliged to stay in Ogdensburgh till 
Monday morning. 

"I have frequently remarked, that adversities often bring 
a happy incident. This is one of the principles in my Phi- 
losophy of Travelling, which I have often had to apply in 
my journeys, and my philosophy this time also became 
triumphant. I would have been very sorry not to have 
come to Ogdensburgh, and to there pass a day and a half, 
for I don't know as I would otherwise have witnessed the 
spectacle of a City that grew under the eye like the wings 
of some insects. It would have been a misfortune not to 
have stopped at Ogdensburgh, of whom no one had spoken 
to me, and which I never shall forget. 

"A railroad connecting Boston and the Western Lakes, 
has just been opened, giving to Ogdensburgh an impetus 
of wiiich we can as yet scarcely speak — but which is most 
curious to the observer. We here see the transition from a 
Village to a great City — the skin of the chrysalis still cov- 
ering the butterfly which just begins to open its wings. 

"The most interesting spectacle that the European meets 
with in the United States, is what I may term the embry- 
ology of cities ; and we can readily trace their complete 
development from the huddle of wooden houses, having a 
well marked term of existence and individual life, with 
regular relations of all members of its society to the gen- 
eral whole. From this germ to the great City, there is an 
infinite number of intermediate degrees, and Ogdensburgh 
answers to one of these, in a stage of rapid development. 
I had hitherto seen nothing in the United States that struck 
me so forcibly. In this expanding City, everything is new 
and unfinished. In German, they would say, that it is going 



J. J. AMPERE. 163 

to he (ein werden). It is like a house, where they begin to 
furnish a room before the roof is covered. Imagine broad, 
straight and well-laid-out streets ; in their midst a black 
mud — on the l)orders, plank walks; here and there ravines, 
with groups of trees that belonged to primeval forests; 
fields scarcely enclosed, with an abandoned look, as if not 
yet taken up, or yet to be cultivated, and on every hand 
beautiful gardens and elegant cottages, with every appli- 
ance of the most refined civilization — on a place cleared but 
yesterday, and close beside an unimproved waste. Some 
cows were straying along the street, near a store of novel- 
ties, where the fasliion-plates of the Journal du Modes were 
displayed in the windows, by the side of portraits of mem- 
bers of the local government; and bales of merchandise 
lay in the streets among the trunks of overturned trees It 
was a strange mingling of departing savagery and of in- 
dustries to come. In these carefully aligned and half 
filled streets, we see at once the rudeness of primeval life, 
and the rising splendors of the Orient; for they have got 
the idea that this Cit}^ which they are building, will be a 
great one ; and the vision comes before me that in twenty 
years or so, the place where I stand will have a hundred 
thousand souls. Should one of my readers come next year 
to Ogdensburg, he would see nothing as I see it to-day. It 
reminds me of a visit once made to an Island that came 
out of the sea between Italy and Sicily. They made pro- 
files of its outlines for sale to the curious, but the outlines 
of this volcanic Islet changed from hour to hour, so that 
the next day, these pictures bore no likeness to the origi- 
nal. So cities in the United States spring up from tlie 
soil, so to speak, like the eruption of Julia Island from the 
sea. They change their aspect continually, and what is a 
faithful picture to-day is no longer so to-morrow. 

' ' From these impressions, more extraordinary than pleas- 
ing, I sought the calm serenity aft'orded by a walk in the 
fields, and along a fine road that displayed the great expanse 
of placid water. A little clump of oaks had been spared 
in the clearing, close by the River bank, and I reposed a 
long time under their branches, listening to the tinkling 
of cow-bells, as in a solitary pasture of the Oberland. 

"My revery was broken by the sharp notes of a woman's 
voice: — Cette j)oisson d'enfant!'^ I did not dream, on the 

(1) " What a fish that young-one is ! " 



16J^ WASHINGTON IB VING. 

banks of the St. Lawrence, of beings so near the Place 
Mauhert, and I was quickly aroused from my revery by this 
anything-but-poetic reminder of my native country. 

"We passed up the Great River, and presently came 
among the Thousand Islands, which lie before the entrance 
of Lake Ontario. These are generally low, and covered 
with trees that seem to rise out of the Lake. The progress 
of the boat, as it winds through this verdant labyrinth, 
gives them the appearance of movement, and they seem to 
float upon the waters. When the last of the Islands are 
passed, the Lake which had been before a vast River, at 
once expands into a Sea. If the scene is not picturesque, 
it is still poetic. A landscape painter might despise this 
spectacle, — but painters too often undervalue effects that 
they can not reproduce, and expend their talent upon pic- 
tures of lofty mountains, vast expanses of water, and im- 
mensity in every form. Creation in the painter's art has 
not as its sole end, to make a fine effect within a space of 
three feet square." 

WASHINGTON IKYING. — (1803-1853.) 

In the Summer of 1803, Washington Irving, then a youth 
of twenty years, made a journey to Ogdensburgh, by 
way of the Mohawk and Black River Valleys, in company 
with the families of some land-proprietors of St. Law- 
rence county. From the High Falls on Black River [Ly- 
on's Falls], they floated down on a scow to the Long Falls 
[Carthage], consuming two days on this voyage of forty- 
two miles, the intervening night being spent in a humble 
log cabin on the bank of the River, in Lowville. Soon 
after starting on the second day, they had an exciting 
chase of a deer swimming the River, and finally secured it. 

"On reaching the foot of navigation, at the begin- 
ning of the Long Falls, they found only one public house, 
which was kept by a Frenchman, the last survivor of the 
' Castorland Colony, ' and of this he says : 

" * A dirtier house was never seen. We dubbed it 'The 



WASHING TON IB VING. 165 

Temple of Dirt,' but contrived to have the venison 
cooked by a servant, and with crackers and gingerbread 
felt quite independent.' Before leaving next morning, 
Irving v^rote with a pencil over the firep-lace, the follow- 
ing verse: 

' Here Sovereign Dirt erects her sable throne, 
The house the host, the hostess all her own.' 

"Some years after, Mr. Hoffman (who was with Irving 
on this occasion), put up at the same house, in company 
with Judge William Cooper (father of J. Fennimore 
Cooper, the novelist), and their attention bemg attracted 
by the legend, the Judge, who had seen too much of pio- 
neer life to be over-nice about trifles, wrote underneath : 

' Learn hence, young man, and teach it to your sons. 
The wisest way's to take it as it comes.' 

"The remaining sixty miles of Irving's journey, led 
through a wilderness, along a road newly cut, and in a 
vehicle drawn by oxen."^ 

The editor of this volume, when writing the History of 
St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties in 1852, having met 
with Irving's name as the witness to deeds of land, ad- 
dressed to him a letter, asking him, if willing, to furnish 
some account of the scenes and events of that early period 
of the settlement. He politely declined on the ground of 
dim recollection, and pressure of engagements ; but about 
a year afterwards he made a journey through Northern 
New York, and the reminiscences which these scenes of 
youthful adventure recalled, are given with a freshness 

(1) Life and Letters of Washinqton Irving. By Pierre M. 
Irving, i, 48. 



166 WASHINGTON IRVING. 

and beauty quite characteristic of his pen. Coming by rail- 
road from Lake Champlainto Ogdensburgh, he says: 

" Here we passed part of a day — a very interesting one 
to me. Fifty years had elapsed since I had visited the 
place in company with a party of gentlemen-proprietors, 
with some ladies of their families. It was then a wilder- 
ness, and we were quartered in the remains of an old 
French Fort at the confluence of the Oswegatchie and the 
St. Lawrence. It was all a scene of romance to me, for I 
was then a mere stripling, and everything was strange and 
full of poetry. The country was covered with forest; the 
Indians still inhabited some Islands in the river, and 
prowled about in their canoes. There were two young 
ladies of the party to sympathize in my romantic feelings, ^ 
and we passed some happy days here, exploring the for- 
ests, or gliding in our canoe on the rivers. 

"In my present visit, I found, with difficulty, the site of 
the old French Fort, but all traces of it were gone. I look- 
ed round on the surrounding country and river. All was 
changed. A populous City occupied both sides of the Os- 
wegatchie, great steamers ploughed the St. Lawrence, the 
opposite Canada shore was studded with towns and vil- 
lages. I sat down on the river bank, where we used to 
embark in our canoes, and thought on the two lovely girls 
who used to navigate it with me, and the joyous party 
who used to cheer us from the shore. All had jiassed away 
— all were dead! I was the sole survivor of that happy 
party; and here I had returned, after a lapse of fifty years, 
to sit down and meditate on the mutability of all things, 
and to wonder that I was still alive." 

Mr. Irving lived about six years after this journey, and 

died November 28th, 1859. 

JOHAN GEORG KOHL. — (1854.) 

Of the numerous quotations we have made, there is not 
one more worthy of notice than that of the distinguished 
Traveller and learned Geographer, Johan Georg Kohl, 

(1) Miss Eliza Ogden and Miss Ann Hoffman. Irving's 
Life and Letters, i, p. 48. 



DR. J. G. KOHL. 167 

Ph.D. His voluminous publications, including Travels in 
every part of Middle and Northern Europe, and his admir- 
able geographical memoirs, (the most valued of which by 
Americans is his elaborate work on the Early Discoveries 
upon the Coast of Maine), have been uniformly regarded 
as productions of high authority, as they evidently were of 
profound research. Dr. Kohl was born at Bremen in 1808, 
and was educated at the Universities of Gottingen, Heidel- 
burgh and Munich. He first studied law, but turning his 
attention to archaeological and scientific pursuits, he per- 
haps rendered the greater service to mankind. His work 
on the Influence of Climate upon Man, is one of particular 
merit. This writer returned home from America in 1858, 
and died Oct, 28, 1876. His sister, Madame Ida Kohl, was 
the author of several books of European Travel. 

Dr. Kohl's full and intelligible description of the Islands, 
is enlivened by a poetic sentiment, and by legendary asso- 
ciations that indicate a mind keenly alive to the beauties 
of Nature, as well as thoroughly trained in the field of 
historical inquiry. ^ 

To him, at least, the remark of Sallust, the Roman His- 
torian, would not apply — "that many human beings, re- 
signed to their appetites and to sloth, pass through life like 
travellers in a strange country, uninstructed and unim- 
proved. " His description of this region is as follows : 

(1) Travels in Canada and Through the States of New 
York and Pennsylvania, hy J. G. Kohl, author of "Russia 
and the Russians," "Austria," etc., etc. Translated by 
Mrs. Percy Sinnett. Revised by the Author. In 2 vols. 
London, 1861. 



168 DR. J. a. KOHL. 

"The middle of that portion of the St. Lawrence, which, 
as I have said, was formerly called Cataraqui, has become, 
I scarcely know why, the chief centre of traffic for this part 
of the country. The two most important towns of the 
district here lie opposite one another, Prescott on the Cana- 
dian side, and Ogdensburg on the American. Railroads 
from the interior terminate at both places, and there is 
therefore, a great deal of life and bustle on the water. The 
St. Lawrence is rather narrower at this point, and nowhere 
can a comparison be made more conveniently between a 
Canadian and an American town. Prescott exhibits much 
darker hues than Ogdensburgh, where all looks brighter 
and pleasanter ; the houses of the former are built in solid 
style of grey stone, and same building material that has 
served for Montreal. The Americans have a passion for 
w^hite and green houses, and plant willows and other ele- 
gant trees between them, and the contrast might be con- 
tinued to many other particulars w^ere it worth while. You 
have before 3'ou at once a picture of the 'old country, ' and 
one of the quite new. 

"Ogdensburgh is the capital of the tract of land that I 
have described a chapter or two back ; some miles beyond 
it lies another pretty river-port, Brockville, and then again 
some miles further begins the celebrated 'Lake of a Thou- 
sand Islands' ; but to have a clear idea of the origin and 
configuration of this Lake, you must begin at Lake On- 
tario. 

"Lake Ontario forms on its western side a regularly 
drawn oval, with smoothly cut shores, and no considerable 
islands or appendages. On its north-eastern side, however, 
where its waters have broken through the obstacles that 
opposed their progress, its hitherto broad, smooth expanse 
is broken up among numerous islands and peninsulas. 

"First comes the large peninsula of Prince Edward, 
then Duck Island, and several others, as well as long 
gulfs, bays and islets, breaking the land right and left. 
Then near Kingston, you have the Great Wolfe Island, 
Amherst Island, and others ; — rugged masses of land that 
the water could not overcome, or possibly which rose 
above the surface when the Ontario subsided into its 
present bed. At length, beyond Wolfe Island, the Lake 
contracts to a breadth of six or seven miles, and here be- 
gins the 'Lake of the Thousand Islands.' These Islands 



DR. J. G. KOHL. 169 

are, as the name indicates, extraordinarily numerous, and 
the water is split up into a corresponding number of chan- 
nels, but at length the river develops itself again out of 
the labyrinth. For a distance of thirty miles, reckoning 
from Kingston, the waters contract more and more, hol- 
low out a deeper and deeper channel, and wear away more 
and more of the Islands, which gradually become less nu- 
merous, and cease entirely some miles above Brockville. 
The current now becomes stronger, the two shores appear, 
the Lake disappears, and the River takes its place; but 
this is for any one coming down the River ; we were 
pursuing an opposite course. 

"The name of the locality, 'Thousand Islands,' was 
probably bestowed by the Jesuits, or the celebrated Cana- 
dian traveller, Champlain, who was the first discoverer of 
Lake Ontario. The number of the Islands is, of course, 
only guessed at. Some make them 1,500, and some as 
many as 2,000, as there perhaps may be, if they bestow 
the name of Island on each separate bit of rock that sticks 
out of the water, or every reef or sand bar that lies just 
under it. 

Half of these Islands lie along the American shore, the 
rest nearer to Canada, and the frontier line has been drawn 
between the two, and the channel for Steamers keeps 
pretty closely to that line. The whole scene is renowned 
as interesting and picturesque, both in the United States 
and Canada, and parties of pleasure, pic-nics, and sport- 
ing excursions are made to it both from Kingston and 
Brockville. People hire one of the elegant yachts or boats 
built at Kingston, and sail about with their friends from 
Island to Island, dine, camp under the trees, shoot the 
water-fowl, fish, and amuse themselves in many ways. 
Many remain for days together, for the tours among these 
countless Islands have something of the cliarm of discov- 
ery. One of the party, perhaps, declares he knows of an 
Island that has never been visited ; another tells of a deep, 
wooded Bay, in whose, clear, calm waters no one has yet 
tried to anchor. 

' ' We reached the first of the Islands, a little above 
Brockville, and soon found ourselves surrounded by them ; 
sometimes lying in a long string, like a row of beads ; 
sometimes flung pell-mell together in a heap. Some are 
large and covered with thick woods; all have trees, and 
11 



110 BR. J. G. KOHL. 

there are some so small that they have only just room 
for one tree or a bush. There is an infinite variety in the 
grouping of the trees, too. some being gathered into social 
parties, some living as solitary hermits, so that perpetually 
new combinations are formed in the scenery. Some of 
the Islands are just barely hidden under a thin covering of 
moss and other vegetation, and sometimes the crystal water 
is flowing over a mass of naked rocks that it barely covers, 

"The foundation of all these Islands, I believe to be 
granite, and in general they are not high, though pictur- 
esque pedestals are afforded for the trees by banks of 
twenty feet deep. The larger have hills and valleys, and 
arable land enough to be worth cultivating, though hitherto 
little has been obtained from them besides game, fish and 
wood. Villages there are none, and only a few scattered 
dwellings or shanties for sportsmen, wood-cutters, and 
lumbermen, with a few mechanical contrivances, such as 
are seen on the Ottawa, for the collecting and transporting 
of the felled trees. The Islands all have owners, but as 
everywhere in America where land, wood and water re- 
main unsettled, they have been to some extent invaded by 
squatters, whose huts we saw here and there on the shores, 
and the owners seldom offer any objection, as they con- 
sider that these people help to reclaim the land, and make 
some steps towards its cultivation. 

"The best time to visit the Islands is in Spring and in 
the early Summer, for then the trees and shrubs are fra- 
grant from every cliff ; the woods are full of birds and 
various animals; and sometimes when the air is very hot, 
the water is so deliciously cool and fresh, that it is a delight 
to plunge into it. But in the cold Autumn day when I 
visited the Lake, the water is less attractive. Goethe's 
fisherman could only have been enchanted by the Nixie on 
a warm Summer's evening, 

" The Autumn is, however, the loveliest time for one of 
the greatest attractions of the Islands, and the green, red, 
yellow, brown and golden leafage was beautifully mirrored 
in the clear water beneath. Some of the Islands, when 
the sunbeams fell on them, seemed quite to flame, and, in 
fact, this does sometimes happen in more than a meta- 
phorical sense, and the burning woods produce, it is said, 
a most magnificent spectacle. If you chance to be passing 
in a Steamer, you may enjoy the sight nearer and more 



DB. J. a. KOHL. 171 

conveniently than a similar scene elsewhere, as the inter- 
vening water renders it safe. The boats there run very- 
close in-shore, and the passengers can look deeply into the 
recesses of the blazing woods, and yet remain in security, 
I was told this by a gentleman who had enjoyed the sight ; and 
another, who noticed the interest I took in these Thousand 
Islands, mentioned some further particulars. In his youth, 
he said, they were inhabited by Indians, remnants of the 
Iroquois, or Six Nations, to whom the whole north of the 
State of New York belonged. These Islanders were called 
Mississagua,'^ a name that still occurs in various localities 
on the St. Lawrence; their Chief resided on one of the 
principal Islands, and the rest of the tribe was scattered 
about on the others, in birch huts or tents. Their canoes 
were of the same material, and with these they used to 
glide softly over the water, and, in the numerous little 
Bays, or arms of the River, surprise the fish, wdiich, having 
never been disturbed by noisy Steamers, filled the waters 
in countless abundance. The birds and other game were 
equally plentiful in the woods, but now, when greedy 
squatters and sportsmen, with guns, have exhausted the 
district, the Islands are comparatively devoid of animal 
life. 

' ' It was the practice among the Mississagaus, at certain 
times of the year, to leave the Islands to their young peo- 
ple, and make great hunting expeditions northward into 
the interior of Canada, and southw^ard into New York. 
My informant had visited them once when he was a young 
man, and being hospitably received, had afterwards repeat- 
ed his visits, made acquaintances and friends among them, 
lived with them for weeks, and shared the joys and sor- 
rows of the hunter's life. Once when he had been on a 
journey to Niagara and the West, and had been a long 
time absent, he could not desist when he passed the Thous- 
and Islands on his return to his native town, Brockville, 
from making a call by the way on his Mississagua friends. 
They recognized him immediately, gave him the warmest 
reception, and carried him on their shoulders to their 
Chief, who made a great feast in his honor, and canoes 
full of Indians came gliding in crowds from the Islands to 
see and welcome him. He had to pass the night among 

(1) These Indians were a branch of the Chippewas, and 
not of the Iroquois race. 



11/2 DR. J. G. KOHL. 

them; the squaws prepared his couch, and two of the In- 
dians insisted on serving him as a guard of honor at his 
tent-door, where they camped out and kept the fire. 'I 
was almost moved to tears myself, sir, on seeing my half- 
savage friends again. Believe me, it is a race very sus- 
ceptible to kindness, though at the same time, certainly 
very revengeful for injuries. They never forget their 
friends, but are very terrible and even treacherous against 
their enemies. We have very erroneous notions of the 
Indians. We call them poor and miserable, but they 
appear quite otherwise to themselves. They are proud of 
their prowess and animal daring, and of the performances 
of their fore-fathers. In fact, they think themselves the 
first race in creation.' 

' ' 'Are there now any remains of these proud people on 
the Islands ? ' 

" ' No. They have been scattered like the chaff ; their 
fisheries and their hunting became continually less pro- 
ductive; the villages and towns of the whites grew up 
around them ; they began to feel the pressure of want ; 
their race died away like the fish in their waters, and at 
last the few who remained, accepted a proposal of the Gov- 
ernment, that they should exchange these Islands for a more 
remote habitation — I do not myself know exactly where.' " 

We are here able to supply some information which our 

author had not the opportunity to obtain : 

[Before the year 1826, these Indians were pagans, wan- 
dering about in the neighborhood of Belleville, Kingston 
and Gananoque, and earning a precarious living by hunt- 
ing and fishing. They claimed the title to a large tract 
north of the River, and the Islands as far down as Prescott. 
Below that place, the St. Regis Indians claimed, and these 
have never ceded to the Government their right to the 
Islands. 

In 1826-7, between two and three hundred of these 
"Mississaguas of the Bay of Quinte," as they were called, 
or more properly the Eagle Band of the Chippewas, were 
induced to settle on Grape Island in the Bay of Quinte, 
about six miles from Belleville, where a Wesleyan Metho- 
dist Mission was established, schools opened, and the sim- 
pler arts of civilized life began to be introduced. Under 
kind and gentle treatment they made much progress, and 



DR. J. a. KOHL. 173- 

began to plant, and improve their homes with commend- 
able zeal. After living eleven years on the Island, they 
gave up their improvements, to be sold for their benefit, 
and removed to Alnwick, in the County of Northumber- 
land, eighteen miles from Coburg, and ten from Hastings, 
where a location of 2,000 acres was secured to them by Sir 
John Colburn, and laid out into farms of 25 acres each. 
Nine years after this removal, a Report showed that their 
settlement had 36 dwellings, of which 22 were framed 
buildings and the rest of logs. They had from 360 to 400 
acres cleared, and had a population of 233. Their present 
population is not far from 200. 

Many years ago, they ceded to the Government their 
lands in Newcastle, Midland and Johnstown Districts, and 
in 1856, they relinquished the management of their prop- 
erty in the Islands, reserving whatever rents or profits 
might result therefrom. This trust is managed by the In- 
dian Branch of the Department of the Interior, at Ottawa. 
The Report for the year ending June 30, 1878, gave the 
capital of their account as $81,408.61 — their revenue as 
$5,659.08, chiefly from interest, and the expenditures as 
$4,254.69, chiefly in distribution to those entitled. The 
future policy of the Government in respect to these Islands 
has not been determined. 

Several of the larger Islands were granted, or leased 
for long periods, a century or so since, and some of the 
smaller ones are held under Indian titles by residents upon 
them, or the owners of lands opposite. 

In the map of the Canadian Islands prepared by Mr. 
Unwin, under date of June 14, 1873, upon a scale of ten 
chains to the inch, names or numbers are applied to all of 
them, 348 in number. They are divided among four agen- 
cies for supervision. By far the greater number of these 
Islands are still wholly unoccupied, and in a state of nature, 
except as the timber has been despoiled by unauthorized 
persons for pleasure or profit, or as destroyed by fires.] 

We will now resume the narrative of Dr. Kohl, on his 

voyage among the Islands : 

' 'The only living being that appeared very common here 
now was the bird the English call the Loon. It is a water- 
fowl as large as a goose, with a very thick head and long 



<1U DR. J. O. KOHL. 

beak ; its color black, with white spots on the wings. This 
large bird was swimming about every where among the 
Islands, and it was curious to see how exactly similar was 
the impulse of instinct in the numerous specimens that we 
met in the course of thirty miles. As long as our boat 
continued pretty far off, they swam quietly about on the 
glassy water, attending only to their own affairs, and busy 
in catching insects or fish ; but as soon as we came within 
three hundred yards, they shot up into the air, with their 
long necks stretched out, and rolling about their still longer 
heads, so as to look at us timidly, now with the right, and 
now with the left eye. 

"In the second state of their fear, this anxious move- 
ment was communicated to their whole ho&y, and they 
steered alternatel}' right and left, and at last flew straight 
on before us ; but when they noticed that our winged steam 
monster was soon again within a hundred yards or so, they 
seemed fairly to give it up, — rolled their heads about a lit- 
tle more, and then threw a somersault, and went down 
heels over head in the water and disappeared. All these 
motions were repeated by every individual as exactly as if 
they had been previously agreed upon. 

"These 'loons,' the 'wintergreens, ' and the numerous 
watch towers among the Islands, were the only objects that 
attracted my attention. This wintergreen, or Pyrola, is a 
low plant or bush, that does not at all, at least in the 
Autumn, correspond with its name, for it looked blood-red, 
and covered the ground under the trees with a red carpet. 
Sometimes it ran as a border round the Islands, and then 
the groups of trees seemed to be enclosed in a wreath of 
red flowers, as I have seen them in an English Park. The 
Light-Houses, too, tended to convey the impression that we 
were not upon the mighty St. Lawrence, but on the artifi- 
cial waters of some pleasure ground, — for they were ele- 
gant white buildings, like pavilions, or kiosks, sometimes 
.hidden in a grove, sometimes rising from a little island or 
promontory. They are numerous, and. of course very 
necessary, as the winding watery channel is continually 
changing its direction in this labja'inth of Islands. 

"By degrees — after you have breakfasted once, and had 
one dinner — the garden comes to an end, and you emerge 
upon the open field — that is to say, the broad water, and 
the approach of the Ontario and the City of Kingston is 
announced." 



MISS BIBB. m 

MISS BIRD. — (1855.) 

This cheerful writer published her travels anonymously. 
Taking passage at Toronto, on board the Arabian, the 
Steamer raced for a time with the Maple Leaf, and arrived 
in the night at Gananoque. She was awakened towards 
morning, and went on board the New Era, to continue the 
voyage down the river. It was a cold, dreary October 
morning, but although the prospect was anything but 
cheerful, she was evidently resolved to make the most of 
the opportunity. ^ She says : 

"I didn't allow myself to fall asleep in the very com- 
fortable state room which was provided for me by the friend 
with whom I was traveling, but hurried up stairs with the 
first gray of the chilly, wintry dawn of the morning of 
the 18th of October. The saloon windows were dimmed 
with snow, so I went out on deck and braved the driving 
wind and snow on that inhospitable morning, for we were 
in the Lake of the Thousand Islands. Travellers have 
written and spoken so much of the beauty of this cele- 
brated piece of water, that I expected to be disappointed; 
but, au contraire, I am almost inclined to write a rhapsody 
myself. 

' ' For three hours, we were sailing among these beauti- 
ful, irregularly formed Islands. There are 1,692 of them, 
and they vary in size from mere rocks to several acres in 
extent. Some of them are perfect paradises of beauty. 
They form a complete labyrinth, through which the pilot 
finds his way, guided by numerous beacons. Sometimes 
it appeared as if there was no egress, and as if we were 
running straight upon a rock, and the water is everywhere 
so deep, that from the deck of the Steamer, people can 
pull the leaves from the trees. A hundred varieties of 
trees and shrubs grow out of the gray lichened-covered 
rocks. It seems barbarous that the paddles of a Steamer 
should disturb their delicate shadows. If I found this 
Lake so beautiful on a day in the middle of October, when 

(1) The English Women in America. London, 1856. 



176 J. 8. HOOAN. 

the bright Autumn tints had changed into russet-brown, 
and when a chill, northeast wind was blowing about the 
withered leaves and the snow against the ship, — and when, 
more than all, I was only just recovering from ague, — 
what would it be on a bright, Summer day, when the blue 
heaven would be reflected in the clear waters of the St. 
Lawrence!" 

JOHN SHERIDAN HOGAN. — (1855.) 

At the Paris Exposition of 1855, a prize was offered for 

the best Essay upon Canada and its Resources, and of the 

eighteen that were offered, that by Mr Hogan was selected 

as deserving the highest honors. ^ In noticing its internal 

communications, this writer says : 

' ' To appreciate the magnitude of the canals and locks 
on the St. Lawrence, it is necessary to glance at the splen- 
did River of whose nearly two thousand miles of naviga- 
tion they form the connecting links. Let me conduct the 
reader, then, to where the Steamer destined to ' shoot the 
Rapids, ' first winds in amongst the Thousand Islands. It 
is between Kingston and Brockville, and usually just after 
sunrise, The scene here of a bright morning — the morn- 
ings are seldom otherwise in Canada — is magnificent be- 
yond description. You pass close by — near enough to 
cast a pebble from the deck of the Steamer upon them — 
cluster after cluster of little circular Islands, whose trees, 
perpetually moistened by the River, have a most luxuriant 
and exquisitely tinted foliage, their branches overhanging 
the water. 

"Again, you pass little winding passages and bays be- 
tween the Islands, the trees on their margins interlacing 
above them, and forming here and there natural bowers; 
yet are the waters of these Bays so deep that Steamers of 
considerable size might pass under the interlacing trees. 

(1) Canada. An Essay to which was Awarded tJie Mrst 
Prize hy the Paris ExMUtion Committee of Canada. By J. 
Sheridan Hogan. Montreal, 1855. A French edition of 
this Essay was also published. 

Mr. Hogan, who had been returned to the Parliament 
from the County of Grey, was murdered near Toronto, 
in December, 1858. 



J. S. HOGAN. 177 

Then opens up before you a magnificent sheet of water, 
many miles wide, with a large Island apparently in the 
distance, dividing it into two great Rivers. But as you 
approach this, you discover that it is but a group of 
small Islands, the River being divided into many parts, 
and looking like silver threads thrown carelessly over a 
large, green cloth. Your Steamer enters one of these 
bright passages, and you begin at length to feel that in 
the multitude of ways there must be great danger, for 
your half-embowered and winding River comes to an abrupt 
termination four or five hundred yards in advance of you. 
But as you approach at headlong speed the threatening 
rocks in front, a channel suddenly opens upon your right ; 
you are whirled into it like the wind, and the next second 
a magnificent amphitheatre of Lake opens out before you. 
This, again, is bounded, to all appearances, by a dark 
green bank, but as you approach, the mass is moved, as 
if in a kaleidoscope, and lo ! a hundred beautiful Islands 
make their appearance! And such, for seventy miles, and 
till you reach the rapids, is the scenery which you glide 
through. 

"It is impossible, even for those whose habits and oc- 
cupations naturally wean them from the pleasures deriva- 
ble from such scenery, to avoid feelings akin to poetry 
while winding through the Thousand Islands. You feel, 
indeed, long after they have been passed, as if you had 
been awakened out of a blissful dream. Your memory 
brings up again and again, the pictures of the clusters of 
the little Islands rising out of the clear cold water. You 
think of the little bays and winding passages, embowered 
in trees ; and recurring to the din, and dust, and heat, and 
strife of the City you have left, or the City you are going to, 
you wish in your heart that you had seen more of Nature, 
and less of Business. 

"These may be but dreams — perhaps thev are so, — but 
they are good and they are useful dreams ; for they break 
in for a moment, upon the dull monotony of our all-ab- 
sorbing selfishness ; they let in a few rays of light upon the 
poetry and purity of sentiment which seem likely to die 
of perpetual confinement in the dark prison-house of mod- 
ern avarice." 

REV. FREDERICK JAMES JOBSON. — (1857.) 

This writer was born at Lincoln, England, in 1813, and 



178 REV. F. J. J0B80N. 

in 1834 he entered the Wesleyan Ministry, in which he 
was stationed in some of the most important circuits of the 
Methodist Conference. He was also appointed by the Con- 
ference to visit the Methodist Episcopal Church in Ameri- 
ca, in company with Dr. Hannah. Dr. Jobson has filled 
some of the most important posts in the denomination to 
which he belongs, and in the various societies that are un- 
der its patronage. He is the author of several devotional 
works that have attained success, and among his other 
publications may be mentioned — "Chapel and School Arch- 
itecture," (1850); — "America and American Methodism," 
(1857);— and "Australia, with Notes by the Way of Egypt, 
Ceylon, Bomba}^, and the Holy Land," (1862). 
This description of this voyage is as follows:^ 

"We left the City and our friends at Toronto, on Tues- 
day at noon, June 3d, by the steamer which was to carry 
us over the length of Lake Ontario, through the Thousand 
Islands and by the St. Lawrence, to Brockville, where we 
were to attend the Wesleyan Conference for Western Can 
ada. ******* 

"I rose before five o'clock next morning, that I might 
view the ' Thousand Isles, ' as a number of islands extend- 
ing from the foot of Lake Ontario thirty miles down the 
St. Lawrence are named. Those islands, are, in reality, 
more than 1.600 in number, and they are surprisingly pic- 
turesque and lovely. They are of various sizes, some con- 
taining fifteen acres, and others only just visible, and bear- 
ing a single shrub, and they are of every form imaginable. 
But while richly adorned with trees and rocks, they have 
only a slight elevation above the water. The scenery of 
these Islands while threading jomy way among them, with 
their varied shapes and colors, and with their clear re- 

(1) America and American Methodisyn, by the Rev. Prede- 
rick J, Jobson, with a prefatory Letter by the Rev. John 
Hannah, D.D. London, 1857. 



F. J. J0B80N:—B. J. LOSSING. 179 

flections in the surrounding waters, you feel to be exceed- 
ingly beautiful, and that it would repay a voyage from 
England to the St. Lawrence to gaze upon such a sight 
alone. The ' Thousand Island ' scenery is more like Kil- 
larney than any that I have seen, but it is much more ex- 
tensive. In steering through these isles it is an ever- 
changing vision — at one time you are inclosed in a narrow 
channel, then you see before you many openings, like so 
many noble rivers flowing in different directions, and im- 
mediately afterwards you are surrounded on every side as 
by a spacious Lake." 

BENSON J. LOSSING. — (1850-1860.) 

This well known historical writer has many allusions to 
the Upper St. Lawrence, and the events with which they 
are associated. While collecting materials for . is "Picto- 
ral Field Book of the Revolution," he passed up the River 
by Steamer, in the summer of 1850, and thus records his 
impressions of the scenery : 

"A calm, sweetly consonant with ideas of Sabbath rest, 
was upon the main, the Islands, and the River, and all the 
day long not a breath of air rippled the silent-flowing, but 
mighty St. Lawrence. We passed the morning in alter- 
nately viewing the ever-changing scene as our vessel sped 
towards Ontario, and in perusing Burke's 'Essay on the 
Sublime and Beautiful.' I never read that charming pro- 
duction with so much pleasure as then, for illustrative ex- 
amples were on every side. And when, towards noon, our 
course was among the Tliousand Islands, the propriety of 
the stars as an example, by their number and confusion, of 
the cause of the idea of sublimit}^ was forcibly illustrated. 
'The apparent disorder,' he saj^s, 'augments the grandeur, 
for the appearance of care is highly contrary to our idea of 
magniflcence.' So with these Islands. They flll the St, 
Lawrence through nearly sixty miles of its course, com- 
mencing fifteen miles below Kingston, and varying in size 
from a few yards to eighteen miles in length. Some are 
mere syenitic rocks, bearing sufficient alluvium to pro- 
duce cedar, spruce and pine shrubs, which seldom grow to 
the dignity of a tree ; while others were beautifully fringed 
with luxuriant grass and shaded by lofty trees. A few of 



180 B. J. L08SING. 

the larger are inhabited and cultivated. There are twelve 
hundred and twenty-seven in number. Viewed separately, 
they present nothing remarkable; but scattered, as they 
are, so profusely and in such disorder over the bosom of 
the River, their features constantly changing as we made 
our rapid waj^ among them, an idea of magnificence and 
sublimity involuntarily possessed the mind, and wooed our 
attention from the tuition of books to that of Nature.'' — 
{Meld Book of the Revolution, i, 314.) 

Again, ten years later, while preparing his "Field Book 

of the War of 1812," in referring to the Islands, he says: 

"This group of Islands, lying in the St. Lawrence, just 
below the foot of Lake Ontario, fill that River for twenty- 
seven miles along its course, and number more than fifteen 
hundred. A few of them are large and cultivated, but 
most of them are mere rocky islets, covered generally with 
stunted hemlocks and cedar trees, which extend to the 
water's edge. Some of them contain an area of only a few 
square yards, while others present many superficial square 
miles. Canoes and small boats may pass in safety among 
all of them, and there is a deep channel for Steamboats and 
other large vessels, which never varies in depth and posi- 
tion, the bottom being rocky. The St. Lawrence here 
varies from two to nine miles in width. The boundary- 
line between the United States and Canada passes among 
them. It was determined in 1818. The largest of the 
Islands are Grand and Howe, belonging to Canada, and 
Carleton, Grindstone and Wells, belonging to the United 
States. They have been the theatre of many historic 
scenes and legendary tales during two centuries and a 
half." 

JOURNEY OF THE PRINCE OF WALES. — (1860.) 

In 1860, the Prince of Wales, (known while in the United 
States as Baron Renfrew) accompanied by His Grace, the 
Duke of Newcastle, Secretary of State for the Colonies — 
the Earl of St. Germains, Steward to the Queen's House- 
hold — Major-General Bruce, Governor to the Prince — Dr. 
Ackland, the Prince's Physician — Major Teesdale and 



JOURNEY OF THE PRINCE OF WALES. 181 

Captain Grey, the Prince's Equerries, and Mr. Engleherst, 
Private Secretary to the Duke of Newcastle, traveled 
through portions of the United States and Canada. He 
was everywhere received by the oflBcials of both countries 
with the honors due to his rank. Besides those properly 
belonging to his suite, were several correspondents of news- 
papers, who kept the public informed of the incidents of 
the journey, and several books were soon after published, 
giving these in a collected form. We present extracts from 
two of these works, one by a correspondent of the New 
York Herald, and the other by the writer representing the 
London Times. The Prince after visiting Lower Canada, 
proceeded to Ottawa, and laid the corner stone of the new 
Parliament Buildings of what has since become the Domin- 
ion Government, From thence he proceeded to Brock- 
ville, where he took passage on board the Steamer Kingston 
and passed through this part of the St. Lawrence on the 3d 
of September, 1860. 

At Kingston the Orangemen had prepared to join in the 
reception of the Prince, in their regalia, justifying them- 
selves in this by alleging that the Catholics in Lower Can- 
ada had been recognized upon similar occasions. The 
Duke of Newcastle addressed a letter to the City officials, 
requesting them to prevent these partisan demonstrations, 
but neither party appeared willing to yield, and after wait- 
ing nearly a day, the Steamer proceeded on its way up the 
Bay without landing. At Belleville a similar event hap- 
pened, and at Toronto a serious misunderstanding arose 
from like causes. 



18^ JOURNEY OF THE PRINCE OF WALES. 

Reception of the Prince of Wales as described by Kinahan 
Cormcallis, Correspondent of the New York Herald. 

The letters of this writer, were afterwards collected in 

book form.^ The party arrived at the railway station by 

the Grand Trunk Railway, where our extract begins : 

"At twenty minutes to eight, the train entered Brock- 
ville ; there the greatest crowd that Brockville ever gath- 
ered was seen at the railway station. 

"On stepping on the platform, the cheering prevented 
anything else being heard for several minutes; but when 
this burst of joy and welcome had subsided, the Mayor 
of the Town, accompanied by several members of the 
Common Council, advanced and read an address, to which 
His Tioyal Highness replied. The Prince was conducted 
to his carriage, in Avhich he took his seat beside the Gov- 
ernor-General, with His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, 
on the opposite seat, A torch-light procession of the fire- 
men and others was in waiting, and a general illumination 
had the effect, in the midst of the triumphal arches and 
other evergreen and floral decorations, of lending a species 
of fairy enchantment to the scene, w^hich was one of the 
prettiest I have ever seen — far more so than that of the 
great Japanese Ball, The flaming torches in the back- 
ground, the exploding rockets high above, the brilliant 
transparencies spanning the streets, the Chinese lanterns 
swinging from roofs, and windows, and arches, the distant 
bonfires, the ringing church bells, and the ringing cheers, 
combined to make a spectacle as brilliant as it was ex- 
citing. The procession then moved forward towards the 
Steamer Kingston at the wharf, — the firemen and other 
torch-bearers following in the rear, and were saluted with 
fireworks that lent a terribly lurid aspect to the whole, at 
every point of their progress. 

"The display was highly creditable to the towns-people, 
many of whom, however, went home very much disap- 
pointed at having been unable to catch a glimpse of the 
royal visitor. 

(1) Royalty in the New World, or the Prince of Wales in 
America. New York, 1860; 13 mo., pp. 288. 



JOURNEY OF THE PRINCE OF WALES. 183 

"On the next morning, the Prince appeared on the 
Steamer's deck at nine o'clock, and being recognized 
by those on shore, there was great cheering. The 
Steamer being anchored a short distance mid-stream, 
was surrounded by numerous boats tilled with those 
eager to see him. At a quarter to eleven, he grati- 
fied a general wish by coming ashore in a small boat, and 
driving through the principal streets of the Town. All 
the resources of the place were taxed to provide carriages 
for the party, and with tolerable success, although there 
was a great want of uniformity in the size, color and 
shape of the vehicles and horses enlisted in the service. 
The Prince took his place in an open carriage by the side 
of the Governor-General, while the Duke of Newcastle 
and Earl of St. Germains sat opposite. Lord Lyons and the 
suite followed in separate carriages. The streets were 
very dusty, owing partly to the crowd that ran alongside 
and before and behind th? Prince's carriage, which was 
guarded by the policemen, one at either side, armed with 
batons. The royal party had to keep their eyes shut for 
a while, but afterward the clouds diminished, both in vol- 
ume and density. The drive lasted about half an hour. 

' ' At twenty minutes past twelve, the Kingston steamed 
away, and in a few minutes afterward was pursuing her 
course among the Thousand Islands. 

' ' The weather was fortunately warm and sunny, 
and the granite Islands were seen to great advan 
tage. There Nature appeared to have fancifully prepared 
a grand proscenium to feast the travellers' eyes, for nothing 
could have exceeded in singularity the scene that presented 
itself. The mighty St. Lawrence — the ' Iroquois ' of the red 
man — here, in ages long elapsed, urged its vexed waters, 
before pent up in the vast inland basin of North America, 
against that portion of the primitive barrier which visibly 
extends from the granite mountains of the East over to 
the dividing ridge between the wild regions of Hudson's 
Bay and the tributary waters of the Ottawa and St. Law- 
rence; and here, by some tremendous effort, Mdiich has 
evidently shaken the whole country from Kingston, at the 
eastern extremity of Lake Ontario, to the other side of the 
region through which the granite ridge pursues its north- 
westerly course, the River has at one time rushed over a 
sheet of cascades and rapids miles in breadth, but which 



m JOURNEY OF THE PRINCE OF WALES. 

have long disappeared under the wearing influence of time. 
Island succeeded Island, group succeeded group, till the 
eye almost wearied of the succession. Most of these were 
beautifully wooded, and many of them so low and flat as 
to suggest to the mind the tranquil prospect of an Italian 
lagoon. Others again were split and rent into a variety 
of fantastic forms, forming views of peculiar wildness, 
A turn of the channel disclosed a new labyrinth, while we 
passed under a dark wall of rock, coated with moss and 
lichens that had likely flourished there for generations, 
and from whose bare and rugged top the hoary fir lifted its 
sombre head. Further on, a Light-House stood perched on 
a rock, and further, still another. All was still and lonely 
— the cerulean vault above, the tranquil tide below — the sun- 
shine over all. Was the poetry of the scene felt by that 
fair young man gazing so calmly, so thoughtfully, upon it 
from the deck of that Steamer, over which the rich tints 
of a Prince of Wales' standard flaunted in the sun? If I 
were a novelist, I would say, ' Yes. ' 

* ' Then another fairy picture presented itself in groves, 
growing, as it were, out of the water, and seeming to bar 
our further progress, till suddenly the sylvan curtain was 
withdrawn, and the eye wandered over a wide* sweep of 
water, dotted here and there with a few small rocks, and 
bounded by the endless forest of the main-land. Towns 
and villages were meanwhile passed on either shore, and 
once a lonely fisherman M'as seen practising his gentle art 
in a small row-boat. The Islands extended the whole way 
from Brockville to Kingston, but the most compact cluster 
was seen in front of Alexandria Bay. Here the view was 
exquisite. A wide expanse of River reposed, mirror-like, 
beneath the rich Autumnal sky, and this sheet of water 
reflected the forms of an assemblage of Islets of the most 
picturesque, diversified and inviting aspect; here a naked 
crag, there a majestic bouquet, yonder a clump of trees, 
or a perfect Island supporting a solitary stem. Such happy 
confusion, such an indiscriminate sprinkling of all shapes 
and sizes and varieties of vegetation, was unique in the 
extreme. 

" As we neared Kingston, after leaving Brockville, the 
channel by which we had advanced, and which was formed 
by Long Island, on the borders of which were several 
Islets, and by the main-land, Pittsburgh and Kingston, 



JOURNEY OF THE PRINCE OF WALES. 185 

gradually widened. These were well wooded, and the 
larger one disclosed several neat farms. 

"Further on, appeared the strong fortification crowning 
the Promontory of Point Henry, about a hundred feet 
above the level of the Lake, for here Ontario and the St. 
Lawrence meet." 

The Thousand Islands as described by N. A. Woods, Cor- 
respondent of the London Times.'^ — The Isle of Dogs. 

After pleasantly discoursing of the Rapids of the lower 
St. Lawrence which appeared after all to be not very dif- 
ficult to descend, and no great affair, notwithstanding all 
that had been said of their awful grandeur, he remarks : 

" This language is dreadful guide-book heresy, of course, 
but the worst is yet to come. Canadians tell you that if 
there is anything better worth seeing than the Rapids, it is 
the Thousand Islands, which dot the surface of the St. 
Lawrence just where Lake Ontario and the River com- 
mence. Here, you are told the rich grandeur of the Hud- 
son, the luxuriance of the Bosphorus, the wild, stern mag- 
nificence of the Saguenay, and, for aught you hear to the 
contrary, the flowing beauty of the Euphrates in Spring, 
may all be met with. 

" It is a trying thing to have to contend against such no- 
tions; but if an individual opinion is worth anything, I must 
unhesitatingly give mine, that these Thousand Islands are 
in their way a delusion and a snare, and will as much bear 
comparison with the Hudson or the Sagnenay, or the Bos- 
phorus, as the Thames below Blackwall. Take slips of the 
Isle of Dogs of all sizes, from an island as large as a foot- 
stool, up to ten or twelve acres ; plant the larger ones with 
stunted firs; strew the little ones over with broken stones as 
if they were about to be macadamized, put them near the 
surface of the water in a mechanical dis-arraugiug con- 
fusion without picturesqueness, and number without varie- 
ty, — imagine them choking the highway of a noble River, 
and you can fancy yourself on the St. Lawrence, and in 
the middle of the far-famed Thousand Isles." 

(1) The Prince of Wales in Canada and the United States. 
London, 1861. 12 mo., pp. 438. 
12 



186 JOUBNET OF THE PRINCE OF WALES. 

It appears a few pages further on, that the writer of the 
above extract, took the railroad from Brockville to King- 
ston, nor does it anywhere appear that he saw the River at 
any point between these two places. His recipe for mak- 
ing " Thousand Islands," will therefore very probably be 
classed with the prescriptions of the quack, who might re- 
commend an un-tried remedy, for a patient he had never 
seen. 

To better appreciate his brilliant comparison, we should 
remember that this Isle of Dogs lies in a bend in the 
Thames, within five miles of St. Paul's Church, London. 
It consists of some 600 acres, and a part of it covered with 
steam-factories, chain-cable works and other establishments 
incident to the commerce and industries of the great me- 
tropolis, while much of the remainder is covered seven feet 
deep at every high tide. Out of such materials this pleas- 
ant writer requests his readers to construct the ideal of the 
Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence ! 

FKANCIS DUNCANSON.l — (1863.) 

This writer was much devoted to literary and scientific 

inquiries. In speaking of the Islands, he says : 

"The Thousand Islands, as they are called, occupied no 
small portion of a day in passing; and even at this distance 
of time, that vision of beauty rises before my mind with a 
clearness and vigor, such as attend the impressions left on 

(1) Our Garrisons in the West, or Sketches in British North 
America. By Francis Duncanson, M. A. Fellow of the 
Geological Society; Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society; 
Member of Colonies Committee, Society of Arts; D. C. L. 
King's College, N. S, Lieutenant, Royal Artillery. London, 
1864. 



F. DUNG ANSON. 187 

the mind of childhood by startling events of great joy or 
sorrow. Could one imagine a beautiful dream or poem 
realized in nature, one could more easily conceive this mar- 
velous scene. There are passages in Tennyson which re- 
mind one of these Islands, and in some of our Scottish 
Lakes, they are faintly shadowed forth, but not Helen's 
Isle can approach in beauty the simplest of these bright 
jewels, which are so profusely scattered over the surface 
of this proud River. 

"Truly the beauties of that day were a brighter dream 
than one could hope to dream in slumber. Our vessel, as 
it threaded its way through the maze of Islands, almost 
touched their steep green sides, and the branches of the 
trees which crowned them almost brushed us, as we leaned 
over the bulwarks in silent admiration. There were many 
varieties of water-fowl in the River around us ; but not the 
least pleasing part of the picture was the utter wildness of 
the Islands, and the absence of any signs of man's handi- 
work or habitation, — the untouched purity of their pristine 
beauty — for there is a strange calm comes over man as he 
finds himself with Nature alone. 

"Now, to many this idea will be designated by the title 
'bosh.' Your eminently practical man will say that a 
turnip-field is a far more picturesque and soothing sight 
than a bramble-covered rock ; and, buttoning up his pock- 
ets, will say that, for his part, he always considers senti- 
mentality and swindling as twin-brothers. Your imagina- 
tive friend of another class, that class, I mean, who have 
but one idea, one care, and one study, and that is 'ego' — 
will say that 'Haw ! for their part, haw ! This sort of thing 
was all doosed fine in books, but haw ! my dear fellow ! 
where do 3^ou get your gloves?' And pretty little Minnie^ 
she will say, clapping her hands: 'Oh! ma-ma! what a 
charming place for a pic-nic ! and I could wear that new 
muslin, and the hat that Charles liked so much, and you 
could put your dear old feet in rubbers, and we should 
have such a hamper ! But oh ! it would be so stupid with- 
out some gentlemen; so I am afraid we should have to 
make these dear Islands ' 'man's habitation" for an afternoon, 
at any rate!' 

"Well, in answer to all this, I have merely got to say, 
that if I could get these two gentlemen and the charming 
Minnie on board a River steamer in the Thousand Islands, 



188 F. DUNG ANSON. 

I would wager that, for half an hour at least, Mr. Consols 
would cease to be practical, Mr. Butterfly would feel tight- 
ening across the chest different from any ever produced hy 
a tailor's mis-fit, and even chattering little Minnie would be 
quiet for a minute or two, and forget that such a thing as 
muslin existed in the world. 

"There were many hard-looking men on board with me 
that day, and many of the other sex whose hearts had 
been sadly tried by this life's worry and the cares of daily 
bread, which look so small on paper, but which are sad 
things for aging us, and knocking the romance out of our 
nature. But I doubt if there was one among them all who 
did not feel softened by the scenery around us ; whose face 
did not lose for a moment the look of anxious worry, and 
wear something approaching the calm, placid look, which 
Death leaves when he draws away the soul. All their souls 
had gone out, as with a great longing to Nature the Great 
Mother, as a lost and weary child falls on the loving mater- 
nal bosom which yearns over her re-found treasure. And 
in some eyes, whose daily sparkle is due to keen hard love 
of gain, — I am not sure I did not see a tear. You have 
seen, reader, in a crowded festive room, one quiet pensive 
face, whose spirit is far away in thought, and whose owner 
is for the time all unconscious of the throng, and the 
music, and the dance. So on the deck of that plodding 
Steamer, we stood giving our souls out in unconscious love 
and admiration of the beauty before us, and recking not 
that we were units in a motley crowd of passengers. 

"In the prairie territories of America, there is experi- 
enced by the traveller and the hunter a strange sensation 
which has been called the Prairie Fever. It is a sweet and 
exhilarating feeling, absorbing for a time all recollection of 
the past, and killing all anxiety about the future. It is a 
maddening enjoyment of the present, arising from light- 
ened spirits, and the grandeur of surrounding nature. In 
the more settled parts of the continent, where the advances 
of civilization have furrowed the wild meadows, and the 
flowery prairie is wrinkled with the cares of toil, yet in the 
Forest and on the Lakes, something approaching to this feel- 
ing is entertained. In tracing out the origin of this state 
of mind, a metaphysician might discover properties and 
faculties of whose existence he was not formerly aware. 
We doubt whether any mental philosopher has devoted his 



F. DUNCANSOK 189 

attention to this subject ; or, if he has, whether he has not 
merely attributed it to some excitement of the perception 
of the sublime and beautiful. 

"But may it not be otherwise? Is it rash to say that 
away in great solitudes, fresh from the Creator's hand — 
where man's toil has not defaced, nor his dullness polluted 
— the mental faculties ma}^ acquire a higher power over the 
body, and somewhat loosen his faculties? Is it rash to say 
that in the flowers of God's garden, in the trees and rocks 
of his untouched mountains, there may be left an impress 
of His hand which affects the spirit of his creature? As 
the sound of the trumpet inspires the old and weary war- 
horse, or the strains of some melody heard in youth affects- 
the hardened sinner in the midst of crimes, may not the 
music of nature, pure and fresh from God, inspire in some 
way the soul of man ? 

"Thou hts of God's Majesty, and of infinity, make our 
giddy brains reel ; yet with these same spirits, we are to 
enjoy or endure eternity. Must there not. then, be some 
latent faculty, which when the soul is freed from the body, 
shall better comprehend all these; and which, even now, 
at odd times, in disease or delirium — as of old in inspira- 
tion — throw glimpses into us of the mighty unknown and 
unfathomed ? 

"May not prophecy or inspiration be merely the momen- 
tary loosening of this mortal coil, to let some mysterious 
donnant faculty have play? And may not some such 
loosening come by the sudden sight and enjoyment of a 
portion of God's works, as they lie before our vision, fresh 
and unsullied ? 



* 'But this sort of thing must be put a stop to ; once let a 
Scotchman back to his metaphysics, and you require a 
heavy bit to hold him, O, outraged public! you shall be 
that bit ; so, after this specimen of what the Yankees would 
call 'high-filutin' composition, (I don't answer for the 
spelling) I shall come back from mental faculties and prai- 
ries to my camp-stool on the deck of the river Steamer, 

"Let me look back and see where I was when I mounted 
my metaphysical Pegasus, I see, yes; we had alluded to 
some water-fowl. Now, considering the dearth of ornitho- 
logical life in American forests, to which we allude in a 



190 PROFESSOR CAPELLINL 

former chapter, are not the least pleasing part of the picture 
we studied. I have often thought that the Trans- Atlantic 
woods realize beautifully in one respect, what England will 
be, when — according to terrified correspondents of the 
Times — the small boys shall have shot the last sparrow. " 



GIOVANNI CAPELLINI. 1 — (1863.) 

This Italian Savan, who is now a professor in the Uni- 
versity of Bologna, was attracted to this country as a 
prominent field for geological observation. He is at the 
time of this writing actively engaged as President of the 
Committee of Organization of an International Geological 
Congress, that is to hold its session at Bologna in 1881. He 
published in his native language after his return to Italy, 
his impressions of travel, and in connection with this part 
of his route, an engraving of a point of view in the Thou- 
sand Islands. 

He had previously viewed the principal cabinets, and 

had met the Professors of his science in Boston and its 

vicinity — had passed from thence to Quebec — had diverged 

to Lake Champlain on his journey up the River, and from 

thence arriving at Ogdensburgh, he took passage for the 

West. His journal then says: 

"On the 7th of September, I left Ogdensburgh by steam- 
boat for Lake Ontario, about noon, and in two or three 
hours, we had the grand spectacle of the Thousand Islands, 
that form as it were a labyrinth, on the bosom of the Lake. 
The St. Lawrence, which had appeared narrowed for some 
distance above Ogdensburgh, here began to expand, and 
spread itself out into a multitude of channels, worn through 

(1) Ricordi cli un Viaggio Scientifico nell America Setten- 
trionale nel MDCCCLXIII, Del Prof Cav Oiovanni Capellini. 
Bologna, 1867, 8 vo., pp. 284. 



PROF. GAPELLINL—W. D. HO WELLS. 191 

the oldest of granites. Some of the islets scarcely arose 
above the surface, while others were some thirt}'^ metres m 
height, and were clothed with pines, firs, birches, maples 
and beeches of moderate size, but presenting a scene most 
diversified in form, and constantly changing as we passed 
along. To me, as I was most anxiously looking for some- 
thing that would remind me of Italy, a part of this laby- 
rinth presented a scene not unlike that of the lagoons of 
Venetia. 

' ' As darkness came on, the occasional gleams of quiet 
lamp-light from the windows of the farm houses along the 
shore, or scattered here and there upon the Islands, or the 
vivid splendor of a Light-House, would cast their long re- 
flected beaims upon the waters, which, when lightly rip- 
pled by the approach of the Steamer, appeared like ser- 
pents of fire, swimming toward the shore. As our colossal 
Steamer, the Ontario, pressed rapidly forward through the 
winding channel of the Islands, we passed a little Island 
where a party of fishermen had built a fire, and were busy 
preparing a supper from the proceeds of the labors of the 
day. A vessel, with its long-spreading, square-sail, lay 
idly floating near the shore, secured to the trunk of an 
aged fir, while the dark shadows of the forest cast a gloom 
over the spot, reflecting the flames that appeared to conceal 
rather than illuminate the scene, and presenting a picture 
that no painter could reproduce. 

"At a later hour in the evening, a cone of reddish light 
appeared on the horizon, that came from a burning forest, 
which often in this region, for months together, will illum- 
inate the night and darken the day with their spreading 
flames and clouds of smoke, causing vast destruction in 
regions where colonization has already begun. Amid these 
scenes of light in the darkness, the moon alone was want- 
ing to shed its crowning glory over the Thousand Isles. 
When the morning came, we had already passed Oswego, 
and were speeding onward toward our next landing at 
Charlotte." 

W. D. HO WELLS. — (1873.) 

In a pleasant little Romance, full of wit and sentiment,, 
this writer describes the ideal incidents of a journey over 
some of the more fashionable routes of northern travel, 



19^ W. D. HO WELLS. 

with a fidelity that proves his personal familiarity with 
the localities described. ^ The romantic couple, whose ad- 
ventures he is describing, had come from Niagara, and had 
just left the landing at Kingston, where our extract begins : 

" Kingston has romantic memories of being Fort Fron- 
tenac two hundred j'ears ago ; of Count Frontenac's splen- 
did advent among the Indians ; of the brave La Salle, who 
turned its wooden walls to stone ; of wars with the savages 
and then with the New York Colonists, whom the French 
and their allies harried from this point ; of the destruction 
of La Salle's fort in the old French war ; and of final sur- 
render a few years later to the English. It is as pictur- 
esque as it is historical. All about the City, the shores are 
beautifully wooded, and there are many lovely Islands — 
the first, indeed, of those Thousand Islands with which 
the head of the St. Lawrence is filled, and among which 
the Steamer was presently threading her way. They are 
as charming, and still almost as wild as when, in 1673, 
Frontenac's flotilla of canoes passed through their laby- 
rinth, and issued upon the Lake. Save for a Light-H')use 
upon one of them, there is almost nothing to show that 
the foot of man has ever pressed the thin grass clinging to 
their rocky surfaces, and keeping its green in the eternal 
shadow of their pines and cedars. In the warm morning 
light they gathered or dispersed before the advancing vessel, 
which some of them almost touched with the plumage of 
their evergreens; and where none of them were large, some 
of them were so small that it would not have been too 
bold to figure them as a vaster race of water-birds assem- 
bling and separating in her course. It is curiously affect- 
ing to find them so unclaimed yet from the solitude of the 
vanished wilderness, and scarcely touched even by tradi- 
dition. But for the interest left them by the French, these 
tiny Islands have scarcely any associations, and must be 
enjoyed for their beauty alone. There is about them a 
faint light of legend concerning the Canadian rebellion of 
1837, for several 'Patriots' are said to have taken refuge 
amidst their lovely multitude; but this episode of modern 

(1) Their Wedding Journey. By W. D. Howells, author 
of "Venetian Life" Italian Journeys,'' etc. With illustra- 
tions by Augustus Hoppin. Boston, 1872. 



NEW YORK EDITORS' ASSOCIATION. 193 

history is diflBcult for the imagination to manage, and 
somehow one does not take sentimentally even to that 
daughter of a lurking ' Patriot, ' who long baffled her father's 
pursuers by rowing him from one Island to another, and 
supplying him with food by night. 

" Either the reluctance is from the natural desire that so 
recent a heroine should be founded on fact, or it is mere 
perverseness. Perhaps I ought to say, in justice to her, 
that it was one of her own sex who refused to be interested 
in her, and forbade Basil to care for her. When he had 
read of her exploit from the guide-book, Isabel asked him 
if he had noticed that handsome girl in the blue and 
striped Garibaldi and Swiss hat, that had come aboard at 
Kingston. " 

VISIT OF THE editors' AND PUBLISHERS' ASSOCIATION OF 
THE STATE OF NEW YORK. — (1872.) 

Perhaps no incident has contributed to bring more widely 
before the public a knowledge of the beautiful scenery of 
the Thousand Islands, than the occasion of the annual 
meeting of the Association above named, at Watertown, in 
1872. This Association had been formed as early as 1853^ 
but its annual gatherings had been interrupted by the war. 
Partaking of a social, as well as of a professional charac- 
ter, these meetings had come to be regarded as both pleas- 
ant and profitable to the members and their families ; and 
on the second day of the Convention at Watertown (June 
26, 1872), the whole day was given up to a Railroad and 
Steamboat excursion to the Thousand Islands. 

The R., W. & O. R. R. Co. had provided a train of 
eight cars, drawn by the engine "' Antwerp," gaily adorned 
with flags, evergreens and flowers, which took the party^ 
(about two hundred in number,) to Cape Vincent, from 
whence a Steamer conveyed them down among the Islands 



19 1^ THE EDITORS.— W. E. RIDEING. 

— stopping at Clayton for a reception, and dining in the 
open air on Pullman's Island. The day was beautifully 
calm, and the Islands in the full verdure of early Summer 
appeared to best advantage. A cornet band from Water- 
town accompanied the part}'-, and added much to the en- 
joyment of the occasion. Among the visitors were a con- 
siderable number from the Southern States, and many of 
the editors were accompanied by their wives. The de- 
scriptions published in local papers throughout the State, 
made the incidents of the excursion well known among 
their readers, and created with many a desire to view the 
scenery for themselves. From that time to the present, 
this interest has been increasing, but more especially since 
the beginning of Summer encampments, partaking of a 
religious and of a social nature, of which a further notice 
is elsewhere given. 

W. E. RIDEING. 1 

" It is three o'clock of a June morning on the St. Law- 
rence ; the little City of Kingston is as fast asleep as its 
founder, the old Frenchman De Courcelles; the moon is 
ebbing before the breaking day; a phantom-like sloop is 
creeping slowly across the smooth stream. At the Steam- 
boat wharf there is a little blaze of light and a rush of 
noisy life, which breaks, but does not penetrate the sur- 
rounding silence. The Lake Ontario Steamer has brought 
a pack of eager tourists into town — not to stay, for another 
vessel is waiting, ready to bear them down the river, 
through the Rapids, and the channels of the Thousand Is- 
lands to Montreal. The pent-up steam screams through 
the pipe-;; lamps gleam fitfully among barricades of freight 
and baggage on the wharf; men's voices mingle hoarsely, 
'All Aboard ! ' The bell rings out its farewell notes ; the 
whistle pipes its shrill warning into the night, and the 

(1) In "Picturesque America,'' vol. ii, p. 370. 



W. E. RIDEING. 195 

Spartan slips her moorings, to the pleasure of the sleepy 
travellers who crowd her decks aud cabins. By this time 
the East is tinted purple, amber and roseate. Night is fast 
retreating. Ardent young couples on their wedding jour- 
ney are a notable element among our fellow travellers; but 
there are all sorts of people from the States, with here and 
there a chubby, florid, drawling Englishman, Most of us 
are journeying on round-trip tickets from New York, and 
are as intimate with one another's aims and ends as if we 
were crossing the ocean together. We all came up the 
the Hudson in the Vibhard ; all occupied the same Pull- 
man car between Albany and Niagara, and will all rush to 
the same hotels in Montreal and Quebec, as fashion bids us. 

" Soon after leaving Kingston, we bestir ourselves, and 
choose eligible seats in the forward part of the boat. We 
chat without restraint, and expectation is rife, as we near 
the famed Thousand Islands. The descriptions we have 
read and the stories we have heard of the panorama be- 
fore us, flock vividly into ovu* memories, We are all ac- 
coutred with Guide-books, Maps, and books of Indian Le- 
gend. One sweet little neighbor of ours in regulation lav- 
ender, brings out a neatly-written copy of Tom. Moore's 
' Row Brothers, Row,' which she holds in her pretty 
hand, ready to recite to her husband the very moment St. 
Anne's comes in view. Meanwhile she is fearful that St, 
Anne's may slip by unnoticed, notwithstanding the as- 
surances made to her that the much-desired St. Anne's is 
twelve hours' sail ahead of us How lightly she laughs as 
the boat's white stem cleaves the cool, gray surface ! and 
how enthusiastically she repeats Ruskin as the colors of the 
morning skies grow warmer and deeper, and as the sun 
rises directly ahead of us, opening a golden pathway on 
the water! and how prettily surprised she is when her be- 
loved tells her that the Thousand Islands number one 
thousand six hundred and ninety-two, as ma}^ be ascertain- 
ed in the Treaty of Ghent! Still listening to her childish 
prattle, we are further occupied with the banks of the River, 
and the numerous dots of land that lie in our course — the 
Thousand Islands, 

"Are we disappointed? That is the question which most 
of us propound before we proceed many miles. There is 
little variety in their form and covering. So much alike 
are they in these respects that our Steamer might be almost 



196 W. E. RIDEINO. 

at a stand-still for all the change we notice as she threads 
her way through the thirty-nine miles which they thickly 
intersperse. In size they differ much, however, some be- 
ing only a few yards in extent, and others several miles. 
The verdure on most of them is limited to a sturdy growth 
of fir and pine, wdth occasionally some scrubby under- 
growth which sprouts with northern vigor from crevices 
in the rocky bed. The Light-Houses which mark out our 
channel are a picturesque feature, and are nearly as fre- 
quent as the Islands themselves ; but all are drearily alike 
— fragile wooden structures, about twenty feet high, uni- 
formly whitewashed. 

"As the Spartan speeds on, breaking the rippling surface 
into tumultuous waves, we meet a small boat, pulled by a 
lonely man, who attends to the lamps from the shore, light- 
ing them at sunset, and putting them out at sunrise. Some 
anglers are also afloat, and anon a large fish sparkles at the 
end of their line, and is safely drawn aboard. The Islands 
are famous for sport, by the way. Fish of the choicest 
varieties and the greatest size abound in these waters, and 
wild fowl of every sort lurk on the shores. They also have 
their legends and romances, and the guide-books tell us, 
in eloquent language, of the adventures of the 'patriots'' 
who sought refuge among their labyrinths during the Can- 
adian Insurrection. As the sun mounts higher, and the 
mist and haze disperse, we run between Wellesley Island 
and the Canadian shore, and obtain one of the most charm- 
ing views of the passage. The verdure is more plentiful 
and the forms are more graceful than we have previously 
seen. Tall weeds and water-grasses crop out of the shoals. 
An abrupt rock throws a reddish-brown reflection on the 
current, which is skimmed by a flock of birds in dreamy 
flight. The banks of the island and the main-land slope 
with easy gradations, inclining into several bays; and afar 
a barrier seems to arrive where the river turns and is lost 
in the distance. Thence we steam on in enthusiastic mood 
towards Prescott, satisfied with the beauties we have seen, 
and arrive theie at breakfast-time, five hours and a half af- 
ter leaving Kingston. 

"Our preconceptions — have they been realized? Scarce- 
ly. But an artist in our company tells us, consolingly, 
that preconceptions are a hindrance to enjoyment, and 
ought to be avoided, and that when he first visited the 



JULES LE CLERCq. 197 

Yosemite last Summer, he spent several days in getting rid 
of idle dreams, before he could appreciate the majesty and 
glory of the real scene." 

JULES LE CLERCQ. — (1876.) 

This writer, a Frenchman, had made an extended tour 

in the West, and was returning by way of the Lakes. We 

begin our extract at the moment of his departure from 

Toronto:^ 

" We found ourselves on board the Spartan, a very large 
crowd, thanks to a legion of pilgrims on their way to 
Wells Island, one of the Thousand Islands of the St. Law- 
rence, for the purpose of assisting at a great religious 
meeting, or revival, as they say in this country. The ' re- 
vival ' is an effervescence of devotion, an outburst of 
fanaticism that generates itself at intervals, and suddenly 
comes on like a storm. There are spiritual fevers that 
generates and keep alive the strangest of sects in America, 
and it is seldom that some new and extraordinary sect does 
not arise from a revival. * * * * 

" Before our pilgrims had landed at Wells Island, the 
revival spirit had already appeared among them with 
some intensity, but this was nothing but the prelude. 

"Towards evening, as the setting sun was touching the 
waves of Lake Ontario, they began their songs. To these 
succeeded exhortations, which might perhaps have made 
me a new convert, had they not been so entirely grotesque. 
A personage who seemed to act the part of a President in- 
vited any persons who might be moved from Heaven, to 
give the company their inspirations. A profound silence 
followed this solemn request, and every one was looking 
around, when some one more inspired than the rest, arose, 
and spoke in a solemn and prophetic tone, his countenance 
lit up as if under the influence of a Divine Spirit. This 
spectacle interested me very much, from its entire strange- 
ness, but all of the>e inspired people, who seemed to think 
themselves holier than the rest of the world, gave me an 
impression quite repulsive. One or two of them, in their 

(1) Un Ete en Atiurique de V Atlantique aux Montagnes 
Rochueses. Par Jules LeClercq. Paris, 1877. 



198 JULES LE CLERGQ. 

extravagance, implored the Supreme Being to enlighten 
the minds of every person aboard, — first tiie passengers, 
one and all, and then from the Captain down to the hum- 
blest deck-hand. Being unable to endure more of this, I 
left this saintly assemblage, to retire at the further end of 
the Steamer, 

' ' I know not what passed the next day at the revival on 
Wells Island; but if we may believe an English writer, 
worthy of credit, ^ these revivals become the scenes of the 
gravest disorders : 

"As the night came on, the disorder became indescriba- 
ble; for, including the revivalists, there were not less than 
four hundred persons aboard, and there were only some 
fifty state-rooms, with two berths in each, all of which 
were occupied by the ladies. There were, therefore, three 
hundred persons without beds, and I found myself among 
these unfortunates, obliged to sleep on a plank, with a 
satchel for a pillow. At my age, happily, this does not 
matter, and although I would not like to renew the experi- 
ence, I am not ashamed to know how it seems to sleep on 
a plank. On awaking in the morning, I found to my great 
astonishment that I had a severe headache, and on raising 
the plank, found that I had been sleeping just over the 
boiler. 

"They undertook to give breakfast to four hundred 
passengers — but the tables would accommodate but a hun- 
dred guests. They got over this difficulty by setting the 
table four times. In this setting and serving four tables 
in succession, it required from six to ten o'clock, and it 
was marvelous to see how every one rushed forward as 
soon as the gong sounded. It was a pitched siege, where 
the strongest had the best chances. Not caring to engage 
in such a skirmish, I patiently waited for the last edition,, 
and by the time I had finished, those who had breakfasted 
first, were coming about for their dinners. Such are the 
little incidents of travels in America, and if my star ever 
guides me to that country again, I trust it will not be at 
the- time of a revival. 

" After passing Kingston, the second largest city in the 
Province of Ontario, we entered the St. Lawrence, and 

(1) Hepworth Dixon. New America. Spiritual Cycles. 
Vol. 2; chap. 14. 



JULES LE CLERCQ. 199 

for two hours were steaming through the midst of the 
Thousand Islands, concerning which Mr. Xavier Marmier 
and other travellers have expressed an admiration in 
which I cannot join. 

" I will, therefore, content myself with giving one of 
those descriptions found in the guide-books. I can only- 
get up a sort of cold enthusiasm, for this is not my trade. 
I can understand how amateur hunters and anglers can 
here find their delights; but, though I am not altogether 
hostile to the mysteries of shooting and fishing, I cannot 
truly say that I found much to admire in this River Archi- 
pelago. 

" They tell me that the number of these Islands amounts 
to eighteen hundred ; but if there were a hundred thousand, 
would they therefore be the more beautiful ? For my part, 
I would not exchange a single pearl in the enchanting 
group of the Borromeo Islands, in Lake Maggiori, for the 
whole eighteen hundred Islands of the St. Lawrence. At 
the risk of incurring the reproach of heresy, I will ven- 
ture to say, that the Thousand Isles have a reputation al- 
together adorned. They have been honored by so many 
pompous and emphatic descriptions, that all tourists are 
obliged to believe them the wonder of wonders. Tourists 
have an unfortunate way of admiring all that Murray, 
Joanne, and others, tell them they must admire, and they 
think they must not return from America without having 
seen them. If otherwise, the conversation would take 
some such form as this : 

" ' You have been in America?' 

—"'Yes.' 

— " ' And have seen the Thousand Islands?' 

— " ' I did not see them.' 

" At the end of the dialogue you would hear — ' Simple- 
ton! don't you know they are cited in prose and verse? 
You might be pardoned for passing Niagara — that is su- 
perannuated — but the Thousand Islands! — What then did 
you go to America to see?' 

" To finish off: 'I know some part of Sweden, and 
upon that part of Lake Maelar, that extends from Stock- 
holm to Upsal, is an Archipelago infinitely more pictur- 
esque than that of the St. Lawrence ; yet the Swedes have 
not the tact to boast of their Thousand Islands like the 
Americans." 



£00 J. E. 8TEBBIN8.—G. L. TAYLOR. 

J. R. STEBBINS. — (1878.) 

After describing the mode of life at the Park, and the 

discomfort of excursions, this writer says :^ 

"To me, the pleasures of this magnificent River are its 
very solitudes. Given a silent, attentive oarsman, a light 
ripple upon the water, a gentle breeze upon the cheek, turn 
behind an island away from the sight and sound of the 
thoroughfare, with the blue sky above, the clear water 
below, and the finest scenerj"" in the world upon every side. 
Surely now, if ever, one may yield himself to Nature, and 
meet his own soul face to face. Silence is a blissful com- 
panionship here, and there can be no tediousness of soli- 
tude to him who has within himself resources of thought 
and dream — the pleasures of memory, of imagination, of 
dreamy forgetfulness, of delightful rest. Never in even the 
poet's grandest song, was the grandeur and beauty of these 
scenes fully expressed." 

GEORGE LANSING TAYLOR, D.D. — (1878.) 

While most of preceding notices refer only to the natural 
scenery of the Thousand Islands, this writer speaks partic- 
ularly of their occupation, and the improvements along 
their shores :^ 

"There are nearly two thousand of these Islands, lying 
in about twenty-five miles of the course of the River, from 
the broad outlet of the Lake down to the narrowed and 
united stream above Ogdensburgh. It is one of the most 
densely crowded archipelagoes in the world. The Islands 
range from the size of a township, down to that of a hay- 
stack. But a very large number of them are habitable, 
and many have been long inhabited. Yet so many have 
remained wild, that the prevailing character of the whole 
has been that of a wilderness. 

"It is precisely that fact that has given the Islands their 
value and charm in modern days. It is this that has made 

(1) Editorial Correspondence of the Little Falls Journal, 
August 28, 1878. 
(3) From The Methodist, August 29, 1878. 



O. L. TAYLOR. 201 

them the chosen and delightful retreat they are, and has 
brought wealth and taste hither to find a summer refuge 
sweeter than can be found at any of the old and crowded 
resorts of extravagance and fashion. 

"It is this that has caused a modern Venice, gay as a 
dream of a fairy land, to spring up here on every hand 
among these green solitudes. There are now hundreds of 
beautiful and tasteful cottages here, where a few years ago 
there was only an unvisited wilderness, or at most the logV' 
cabins of a few fishermen and lumbermen. Alexandria 
Bay, twenty years ago a lumbering station, is now a fine 
watering place, with two superb hotels and several plainer 
ones. Clayton, then a post-office village, is now a brisk 
railway and steamer port, with five thousand inhabitants 
and a large trade. 

"Such is the general outline of the spot chosen by the 
Methodists of Central and Northern New York for their 
great summer resort and resting place. Seldom has a choice 
been so fortunate. Few are the chances for so fortunate a 
choice. The tract owned by the company embraces nearly 
500 acres, ^ situated on the western or up-stream end of 
Wellesley Island. There is a great advantage in having 
the western end, as the prevailing winds in" Summer are 
from the west, and, blowing across a vast sheet of fresh 
water, come highly charged with that modified form of 
oxygen known as ozone, the greatest vitalizing agent in all 
nature. Besides this advantage, the situation itself is the 
best that could have been selected, giving a fine oak and 
hickory and white-pine grove for the encampment, with 
the finest rock scenery on the River just at hand." 

This same writer, in the Ghristian Advocate, of August 
15, 1878, says:— 

" Ulysses managed to sail past the Enchanted Islands, 
and so to escape the songs and snares of the Sirens, but 
Calypso's spells were too powerful for him, and for a while 
he had to succumb. And this among the Isles of Greece ! 
Who can say what had happened had the Ithacan sage 
been tested amid the innumerable charms of the Thousand 
(nearer two thousand) Isles of the great St. Lawrence 
River! At any rate, many a Modern Ulj^sses has here met 

(1) Now about 983 acres. 
13 



202 Q. L. TAYLOR. 

his fate, and not only been ensnared and detained tempo- 
rarily against his will, but, like Peter or Hermon, (I believe 
in Hermon, not Taber,) has said, 'It is good for us to tee 
here,' and, as Peter wished to do) has forthwith gone to 
cottage-building, singing, 

My willing soul would 6tay 
In such a fbamb as this. 

(Albeit, many of these cottages have not even a frame, or, 
at most, none to speak of.) 

"And so it has come about that this once wild, unten- 
anted and almost inaccessible Archipelago has, like the 
lagoon of the Northern Adriatic, given birth to another 
Venice ; not a Venice in marble, but a Venice in pine ; but 
one more beautiful in the wild irregularity of Island, For- 
est, Rock and River, than the flat mud banks of the 
marshy delta of the River Po ever made possible. A few 
years ago, a sail through these Islands was a glorious pano- 
rama of wilderness, save here and there, upon a few of 
the larger Islands, appeared the clearing and log cabin of 
some settler, probably a ' squatter, ' perhaps a trapper or 
fisherman, possibly a lumberman, or, more likely of all, 
one who cuts forests not his own, into huge wood-piles, 
which he sold to passing River Steamers. Not a few log 
cabins remain, memorials of other years, some of them 
the best of their kind, and still inhabited. One such still 
stands on one part of the lands owned by this Park Asso- 
ciation, and the Association ought to preserve it as a prim- 
eval relic, to be sacredly cherished, and put to some artis- 
tic use, that should do honor to one of the primitive homes 
of white men. Will the presiding genius loci, Brother 
Dayan, and his worthy associates, make a note of this 
observation, an 'govern themselves accordingly?'" 



NEW YORK HERALD CORRESPONDENT. ^ — (1878.) 

After noticing the recent interest which the scenery of 
the Islands had excited, "the walking shoes of tourists 
not having effaced the imprints of Indian moccasins, " and 

(1) New York Herald, July 4, 1878. 



HERALD CORRESPONDENT. 203 

enumerating the persons of high official rank who were 

Summering here, this writer says: 

"Tlie vicinity of the Thousand Islands will probably be 
thronged, but a million of people could be swallowed up 
in its vast solitudes without interfering with each other's 
routes or pleasures. In the old Indian days, that part of 
the St. Lawrence lying between Clayton and Alexandria 
Bay, sixteen miles in extent, and embracing a labyrinth of 
Isles of wiiich the number is considerably more than a 
thousand, went by the name of Manatoana, ^ or Garden of 
the Great Spirit. ^ The name would suit the beauty and 
general tranquillitj^ of the region still. Picturesqueness 
and calm are the traits of the shores and Islands, rather 
than the pomp and sublimity which have been imagined 
by some enthusiasts, and the climate helps to render them 
an earthlj'^ paradise for sportsmen and seekers after health 
and rest. For many years before the Civil War, a few 
persons, some of them men of note, had made this their 
Summer vacation-place. Among these early visitors were 
Governor Seward, Martin and John Van Buren, Silas 
Wright, Frank Blair, Preston King, Gen. Dick Taylor, 
and Rev. Dr. George W. Bethune. But the rush to Alex- 
andria Bay did not fairly commence until 1872. In 1870, 
George W. Pullman, known the world over as ' Palace 
Car Pullman,' purchased what is now known as Pullman 
Island, one of the most beautiful of all the Islands, lying 
a short distance from the village. This he improved with 
buildings and other conveniences, and his family and 
guests were made happy there and thereabouts during the 
succeeding Summers. 

"In 1872, President Grant and family, with a party of 
friends, went there at Mr. Pullman's invitation, and stayed 
eight days. During their visit, some brilliant evening en- 
tertainments were given, and people flocked thither by 
hundreds from miles around, while others came from afar. 
The same year, a large party of New York and Southern 
newspaper editors made an excursion to the Islands from 
Watertown, where the annual State Editorial Convention 

(1) This word is purely the invention of the writer, like 
Cooper's " Horicon," as applied to Lake George, neither 
of them having the least claim to genuineness. 



20Ii, HERALD CORRESPONDENT. 

was held, and enjoyed a big out-door feast. These two 
events brought the islands into extensive notice. 

The Island Parks. 

" The largest of the five or six large Islands in the vicinity 
is Wells Island, directly opposite Alexandria Baj\ It is 
eight miles long, and about four miles wide, and contains 
between eight and nine thousand acres. Parts of it have 
long been cultivated. A deep indentation across the cen- 
tre almost divides it in two. 

"Two great Parks, each containing 500 or more acres, 
one controlled by Methodists and the other by Presbyte- 
rians, are now the chief attractions of this Island. 

"The Thousand Island Park of the Methodists, on the up- 
per end, was laid out in 1874. To its varied natural beau- 
ties, they have added drives and walks along the River's 
edge, and through the woods. Buildings for religious ser- 
vices and for the accommodation of visitors, have been 
erected; also, a dock and dock buildings, a number of 
bath-houses, and perhaps a hundred cottages. ^ Here are 
held Camp-Meetings and Sunday-school Con\'Bntions each 
Summer and Fall, which in recent years have been at- 
tended by tens of thousands of people. 

"■Westminster Park, at the opposite extremity of the 
Island, a mile across from Alexandria Bay, was recently 
purchased by a Presbyterian Company, which has a capi- 
tal stock of $30,000. It embraces about five hundred 
acres, finely situated between two long fronts, one border- 
ing on the River, on the American side, the other on the 
'Lake of the Island,' on the Canadian side. It is made 
up of hill, vale, forest and cleared land. In the centre is 
a height, up which a winding roadway is intended to lead 
to a tower commanding a majestic view. A huge boarding- 
house is about completed. The sale of lots has been going 
on briskly; in one week, 100 lots were sold at prices rang- 
ing from 125 to $200 a lot. It is anticipated that by the 
middle of July, seventy-five dwellings of various kinds 
and sizes, will have been erected in the new Westminster 
Park." 

(1) In the Spring of 1880, the number of cottages and 
buildings of various kinds, was about 200. 



D UKE OF ARG YLL. 205 

This writer next proceeds to notice the beautiful capes 
and headlands along the American shore, that afford ad- 
mirable sites for cottages, many of which have been im- 
proved. He particularly mentions Dr. J. G. Holland's 
place, named "Bonny castle," after one of his owm novels, 
as one of the choicest of these locations and under the 
finest improvement. 

The attractions of the Islands as a place for fishing, and 
for rural enjoyment generally, the extent and character of 
the fine hotel accommodations of this region, and the routes 
by which it may be reached by tourists, are then given in 
detail. 

THE DUKE OF ARGYLL. — (1879.) 

In the Summer of 1879, the Duke of Argyll, (father of 

the Marquis of Lome, Governor-General of Canada), made 

a visit to America, — arriving at New York June 3d, and 

departing from that port on his return July 15th. In an 

article published in Frazefs Magazine, he has given his 

" First Impressions of the New "World," which so far as 

they relate to the St. Lawrence, were as follows: 

"Of the scenery of the St. Lawrence between Kingston 
and Montreal, I can only say that its sole attraction is in 
the majesty of the River, and that where that majesty is 
lost by the River becoming merely a series of Lakes, the 
view is irredeemably monotonous. The banks are very 
low; the houses visible upon them are too often likew^ood- 
en boxes ; and it is only at a few spots that the trees ex- 
hibit any effective masses of foliage. A labyrinth of little 
rocky islets, rising out of tranquil water, and divided from 
each other by intricate channels and creeks and bays, with 
changing vistas of lights and shadows and reflections, must 
always be beautiful in its own way. But the famous 
' Thousand Islands' of the St. Lawrence cannot be com- 



DUKE OF ARGYLL. 

pared with the analagous scenery in many of the Lakes of 
Europe, and especially of Scotland. The general uniform- 
ity of elevation in the Islands themselves, and the utter flat- 
ness of the banks on either side, • ive a tameness and mon- 
otony to the scene which contrasts unfavorably indeed 
with the lovely islets that break the surfaces of Loch Lom- 
ond and Loch Awe. But on the other hand, wherever the 
St. Lawrence reveals itself to the eye, not as a series of 
Lakes, but as a rushing River — then, indeed, its course be- 
comes wonderfully impressive. It is worth crossing the 
Atlantic to see the Rapids of the St. Lawrence. Such vol- 
umes of water rushing and foaming in billows of glorious 
green and white, can be seen nowhere in the Old World. 
They speak to the eye of the distances from which they 
come; of the Rocky Mountains, which are their far-off 
water-shed in the West; of the vast intervening Continent 
which they have drained; of the great inland Seas in which 
they have been stored and gathered. These Rapids are the 
final leaps and bounds by which they gain at last the level 
of ihe Ocean, and the history of their triumphant course 
seems as it were written on their face. " 



P03eTiG ASSOCIATJONS 

OP THE 



MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES 



CANADIAN BOAT SONGS. 

Most early travellers speak of the Songs with which the 
Canadian myageurs were accustomed to beguile their labors 
at the oar, and of the impressions that they left upon the 
memory. These are now entirely unknown upon this part 
of the St. Lawrence, but are still heard upon the upper 
waters of the Ottawa, and in regions not yet invaded by 
the power of steam. 

These souvenirs of travel, belong to a period in society 
that appears to be passing away, and like the popular songs 
of all countries, that perpetuate their historical legends, and 
the traditions of ancestors, they are unknown in cities, and 
are found only in rural life. In this instance, they may be 
often traced back to a European origin, and are of the kind 
that tend to keep alive the poetic associations of a gay and 
happy peasantry, rather than the historical memories of a 
great and powerful people. In fact there appear to be very 
little sense, much less a connection of narrative, in any of these 
popular songs of these people, and the most that can be 
said of many of them is, that they were a jolly string of 
words without rhyme or sense, with frequent repetitions, 
and a joyous refrain. 

In their incoherent stanzas and their repetitions, they re- 
sembled in some respects the slave- songs of the South 
before the late war, although wholly devoid of that religious 
sentiment which formed a feature in many of the Social 
Songs of the Slaves. 



210 CANADIAN BOAT SONGS. 

Some years since, Mr. Ernst Gagnon, of Quebec, pre- 
pared a collection of these Canadian songs. ^ It contains 
only those most commonly known, for according to this 
author, "ten large volumes would scarcely contain them." 
He further remarks, that as a general thing, there is noth- 
ing indelicate or wanton in these popular melodies, and 
that even in some of this description that can be traced 
back to French origin, the objectionable features have been 
dropped. In other cases, the change in these airs has been 
so great that their origin can scarcely be traced back be- 
yond the period of emigration, and in others they are 
unmistakably and entirely Canadian. 

We will limit our notice of these songs, to two or three 
of the most popular and well known, and of these the one 
first given is altogether the most important. 

"A LA CLAIRE FONTAINE." 

Says Mr. Gagnon: — "From the little seven-year- old child 
to the gray-haired old man, every body in Canada knows 
this song. There is no French Canadian song that in this 
respect will compare with it, although the melody is very 
primitive, and it has little to interest the musician, beyond 
its great popularity." 

It is often sung to a dancing tune, and is even brought 
into the fantasies of a concert. It is known in France, 

(1) Chansons Populaires du Canada, Recueilles et Pub- 
lites avec annotations, etc. Quebec, 1865. 

The author is organist in the Cathedral at Quebec, and 
his special musical education and earnest devotion to this 
study, gave these labors peculiar value. It is understood 
that a new edition of this work is in course of publication. 



CANADIAN BOAT SONGS. 211 

and is said to be of Norman origin, altliougli M. Marmier 
thinks it came from La Franclie Comte, and M. Ratliery 
thinks it was brought from Bretagne, under tlie reign of 
Louis XIV. In France it has nearly the same words, but 
with this difference — that the French song expresses the 
sorrow of a young girl at tlie loss of her friend Pierre, 
while the Canadian lad wastes his regrets upon the rose 
that his mistress rejected. The air as sung in France is 
altogether different. Some years since this song in its 
Canadian dress was brought out in all the principal theatres 
of Paris with immense success. This led to a distressing 
burlesque of ''La Claire Fontaine, as they sing itin Paris.'' 

On the occasion of the visit of the Prince of Wales to 
America in 1860, a little incident occurred on board the ^ew, 
on the last evening before the land ng at Quebec, that brought 
this song and its air into notice upon a much wider field 
than before. Several prominent Canadians had come on 
board, and as the evening wore away, Mr. Cartier, a high 
official in the Colonial Government, stepped forward, and 
began to sing this song in a clear and melodious voice. 

The chorus was easily picked up by the listeners, and 
after once hearing it, a few voices joined in; — at first in 
subdued and gentle murmur, but at each return more clear 
and strong, until at the end, the whole party were in full 
accord, and singing with enthusiasm the oft-repeated de- 
claration — 

" II ya longtemps que je t'aime, 
Jamais je iie t' oublerai." 

From this time onward till the end of his journej'' in 
America, this simple melody became the favorite piece, 



212 



CANADIAN BOAT SONGS. 



or was brought in as an accompaniment to other music, at 
receptions and parties, and in short upon all occasions 
wherever music was in order, and for this reason, it is now 
better known outside of Canada, than all the rest of French- 
Canadian songs put together. 

A la Claire Fontaine. 



A la Claire fontaine, 
M'en allant promener, 
J'ai trouve I'eau si belle, 
Que je m'y suis baigne. 

II y a longtemps que je t'aime 
Jamais je ne t'oublerai. 

J'ai trouve I'eau si belle. 
Que je m'y suis baigne 
Et c'est au pied d'un chene 
Que je m'suis repose. 

II y a longtemps, etc. 

Et c'est au pied d'un chene 
Que je m'suis repose 
Sur la plus haute branche 
Le rossignol chantait, 

II y a longtemps, etc. 

Sur la plus haute branche 
Le rossignal chantait, 
Chante, rossignol, chante, 
Toi qui as le cceur gai. 

II y a longtemps, etc. 

Chante , rossignol, chante, 
Toi qui as le ccejr gai, 



Tu as le cceur a rire, 
Moi je I'ai apleurer. 

II y a longtemps, etc. 

Tu as le cceur a rire, 
Moi je I'ai a pleurer, 
J' ai perdu ma maitresse 
Sans pouvoir latrouver. 

II y a longtemps, etc. 

J'ai perdu ma maitresse. 
Sans pouvoir la trouver, 
Pour un bouquet de rose 
Que je lui refusal. 

II y a longtemps, etc. 

Pour un bouquet de rose 
Que je lui retusai, 
Jo voudrais que la rose 
Fut encore au rosier, 

II y a longtemps, etc. 

Je voudrais que la rose 
Put encore au rosier, 
Et que le rosier meme 
Fut a la mere jete. 

II y a lontemps que je t'aime 
Jamais je ne t'oublerais. 



The following not- very-literal English translation of 

this Chanson, has in one sense more poetic merit than the 

original, inasmuch as it has a rhyme, to which the French 

does not pretend. 

As by the crystal fount I strayed* 
On which the dancing moonbeams played, 
The water seemed so^clear and bright, 
I bathed myself in its delight ; 

I loved thee from the hour we met, 

And never can that love forget. 



FONTAINE. 




je m'y suis baigne 



:::i=:ziti3z:j=:g=3=E 



'O''^^ 



^«=t: 



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-#-*- 







'^ ^^-^ — K-i — H 



-^--^:^- 



11 y along temps que je t'aime J'amais je ne t'oublerai. 



9-^ 






iia 






-^—=1-1 



a— a- 






m 



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r 



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(2ia) 






-J L * 



CANADIAN BOA T SONGS. 215 

The water seemed so clear and bright, 
I bathed myself in its delight ; 
The nightingale above my head, 
As sweet a stream of music shed. 
I loved thee, etc. 

The nightingale above my head, 
As sweet a stream of music shed. 
Sing, nightingale, thy heart is glad, 
But I could weep, for mine is sad ! 
I loved thee, etc. 

Sing, nightingale, thy heart is glad, 
But I could weep, for mine is sad! 
For I have lost my lady fair. 
And she has left me to despair! 
I loved thee, etc. 

For I have lost my ladj^ fair, 
And she has left me to despair, 
For that 1 gave not when she spoke. 
The rose that from its tree I broke, 
I loved thee, etc. 

For that I save not when she spoke, 
The rose that from its tree I broke; 
I wish the rose were on the tree, 
And my beloved again with me. 
I loved thee, etc. 

I wish the rose were on its tree. 
And my beloved again with me, 
Or that the tree itself were cast 
Into the sea, before this passed. 
I loved thee, etc. 

Of the above Chanson, Marmier observes: 

' 'As you notice, there is neither verse, nor rhyme, nor 
anything else besides an outlandish measure of syllables; 
* * * * Yet these rude couplets sung 

to the rudest of melodies, have in them an indescribable 
melancholy that penetrates the soul." 

An English writer who published his observations in 
1864, ^ gives one of these songs, prefaced with the follow- 
ing descriptive account of its execution : 

"The French Canadian boatmen seem to be a happy 
devil-maj^-care sort of fellows, who did not allow the 

(1) English America, or Pictures of Canadian Places and 
People. By Samuel Phillips Bay. London, 1864. 



216 CANADIAN BOAT SONGS. 

thought for to-morrow to interfere in any way with the 
enjoyment of to-day. They sing in concert very plaint- 
ively; and some of their favorite ballards are highly 
pathetic. One day I was prevailed upon by a friend to 
take an excursion in a canoe, manned by half a dozen of 
these thoughtless people. Upon sailing up the St. Law- 
rence, as they warmed to their work, they commenced 
singing the following chanson; and so prettily w^as it exe- 
cuted, that the effect was most extraordinar . 

"PETITE JEANNETON. " 

Quand j'etais chez mon pere (bis.) 

Petite et jeune etions, (ou, Petite Jeanneton,) 

Dondaine, don, 
Petite et jeune etions, 

Dondaine. 

M'envoi-t-ala fontaine (bis.) 
Pour pecher du poisson. 
Dondaine. don, etc. 

La fontaine est profoude, ( bis.) 
J'me suis coulee au fond, 
Dondaine, don, etc. 

Par ici-t-il y passe (bis,) 

Trois Cavillers barons, 

Dondaine, don, etc. 

—Que donneriez-vous, belle, (bis.) 
Qui vous tir-rait du fond ? 
Dondaine, don, etc. 

— Trez, tirez, dit-elle, (bis.) 
Apres ca nous verrons, 
Dondaine, don, ete. 

Quand la bell' fut tiree, (bis.) 
S'en fut a' la maison, 
Dondaine, don, etc. 

S'assit sur la f enetre,(bis.) 
Comopose une chanson, 
Dondaine, don, etc. 

— Ce n'est pas ca, la belle (bis.) 
Que nous vous demandons, 
Dondaine, don, etc. 

C'est votre coeur engage, (bis.) 
Savoir si nous I'aurons, 
Dondaine, don, etc. 

—Mon petit coeur en gage (bis.) 
Nest pas pour un baron, 
Dondaine, don, etc. 



PETITE JEANNETON. 



^ 



-- s- 



9—0-O — *- 



-#— ?--h- 






Quand j'etais chez mon pe - re Quand j'etais chez rnon 




agfe5=E5* 



( 



•-- N- 



-N- 



pe - re, i>e-tite et jeune e - tions don dai-ne don 



;l:£iES3i=:E3=q-^ES 



^0-i 



I ! r r 



igg= 















dai - ne. 




(217) 



CANADIAN BOAT SONGS. 219 

Ma mere me le garde (bis.) 
Pour mon joli mig'non, 

Dondaine, don. 
Pour mon joli misrnoD, 

Dondaine. 

Dr. J. J. Bigsby, Secretary of the Boundary Commission 
on the part of the English Government in the survey west- 
ward from Niagara, in 1823, picked up this song in the 
West, somevt^hat different in the chorus. The first stanza 
was as follows : 

Quand j etais chez mon pere, 

Petite et jeune etant, 
M'envoyait a la fontaine, j ^ • 
Pour pecher des poissons, f " *• 

La violette dandine, la violette donde. 

The following rather free translation was furnished to 
him by Mrs. Henry Malon : 

With heart as wild 

As joyous child, 
Lived Rhoda of the mountain; 

Her only wish 

To seek the fish 
In the waters of the fountain. 

Oh, the violet, white and hlue ! 

The stream is deep, 

The banks are steep, 
Down in the flood fell she, 

When there rode by 

Right gallantly, 
Three barons of high degree. 

Oh, the violets white and blue! 

"Oh, tell us, fair maid," 

They each one said, 
"Your reward to the venturing knight 

Who shall save your life 

From the water's strife 
By his arm's unflinching might." 

Oh, the violet, white and blue! 

"Oh! haste to my side," 

The maiden replied, 
"Nor ask of a recompense now! 

When safe on land 

Again we stand. 
For such maters is time enow." 

Oh, the violet, white and blue ! 



220 CANADIAN BOAT SONGS. 

But when all free, 

Upon the lea 
She found herself once more, 

She would not stay, 

And sped away 
Till she reached her cottage door. 

Oh, the violets, white and blue ! 

Her casement by. 

That maiden shy 
Began so sweet to sing. 

Her lute and voice, 

Did e'en rejoice, 
The early flowers of spring. 

Oh, the violet, white and blue ! 

But the barons proud 

Then spoke aloud, 
"Thie is not the boon we desire; 

Your heart and love, 

My pretty dove, 
Is the free gift we require." 

Oh, the violets, white and blue 1 

"Oh, my heart so true, 

Is not for you. 
Nor for any of high degree; 

I have pledged my truth 

To an honest youth, 
With a beard so comely to see ' ' 

Oh, the violet, white and blue ! 

An American writer has given in the following verses 
the impressions which the Boat Songs of the Voyageurs 
made upon him, as he heard them approaching from a 
distant point : 

Lines written while at anch&r in Kingston Harbor, Lake On- 
tario, on hearing from several Canadian boats — entering 
from the St. Lawrence — their usual songs. ^ 

Hark ! o'er the Lake's unruffled wave, 

A distant solemn chant is sped; 
Is it some requiem at the grave ? 

Some last kind honor to the dead ? 
'Tis silent all— again begin ; 

It is the wearied boatmen's lay, 
That hails alike the rising sun, 

And his last soft departing ray. 

(1) Canniff's Settlement of Upper Canada, p. 146, where 
it is attributed to the Boston Weekly Magazine, of old date. 



TOM MO ORE '8 BOAT SONG. 221 

Forth from j'on Island's dusky side, 

The train of bateaux now appear, 
And onward as thej* slowlj^ glide, 

More loud their chorus greets the ear. 
But, ah ! the charm that distance gave. 

When first in solemn sound their song 
Crept slowly o'er the limpid wave, 

Is lost in notes full loud and strong. 

Row, brothers, row, with songs of joy. 

For now in view a port appears ; 
No rapids here our course annoy, 

No hidden rocks excite our fears. 
Be this sweet night to slumber given. 

And when the morning lights the wave, 
We'll give our matin songs to heaven, 

Our course to bless, our lives to save. 

TOM MOORE's boat SONG. — (1804.) 

In the years 1803-4 the social favorite and graceful writer 
Thomas Moore, made a hasty tour through the Middle and 
Northern States and Canada. It would appear from his 
writings, and it has been stronglj^ intimated, that this visit 
to America, was designed to afford capital for satire and 
song in the interest of British prejudice, and under the po- 
litical agitations of the day, there can be no doubt but that 
this result was in some degree realized. 

But whatever may have been the animus or the effect 
of his writings, we may well afford, after this lapse of 
time, to forgive him, since he has left us some that throw a 
charm over the places that he described, and impart an in- 
terest due to the smoothness of their measure, and the 
poetic sentiments which they embody. His lyrics entitled 
" The Lake of the Dismal Swamp," and "The Canadian 
Boat Song," are of this number. Moore was born in 1779, 
and when he passed this way, in 1804, was therefore about 
twenty-five years of age. He had already gained popular 

notoriety by his writings ; and the extraordinary attentions 
14 



TOM MOORE'S BOAT SONG. 

that were paid to him, especially among English Officials 
in Canada and elsewhere, gave a prominence to his presence 
wherever he travelled. In a letter to his mother written 
soon after his passage down the St. Lawrence from Niaga- 
ra in a sailing vessel in August, 1804, he shows how ex- 
ceedingly flattering to his vanity these attentions were; 
making him at once satisfied with himself, and with all the 
rest of mankind. He says: 

" In my passage across Lake Ontario, I met with the 
same politeness which has been so gratifying, and indeed 
convenient to me, all along my route. The Captain refused 
to take what I know is always given, and begged me to 
consider all my friends as included in the compliment, 
which a line from me would at any time entitle them to. 
Even a poor watch-maker at Niagara, who did a very neces- 
sary and difficult job for me, insisted I should not think 
of paying him, but accept it as the only mark of respect 
he could pay one he had heard so much of, but never ex- 
pected to meet with. This is the very nectar of life, and 
I hope, I trust, it is not vanity to which the cordial owes 
all its sweetness. No ; it gives me a feeling towards all 
mankind, which I am convinced is not unamiable ; the im- 
pulse which begins with self, spreads a circle instantaneous- 
ly round it, which includes all the sociabilities and benev- 
olences of the heart."! 

As to the circumstances under which the Boat Song was 
written, these can best be learned from his own pen. In 
a note appended to the full edition of his writings, we find 
the following account; 

"I wrote these words to an air, which our boatmen 
sung to us frequently. The wind was so unfavorable that 
they were obliged to row all the way, and we were five 

(1) Memoirs^ Journal and Correspondence of Thomas 
Moore, i, 173. 

Mr. Moore died Feb. 25, 1852, at about seventy-three 
years of age. 



TOM MOORE'S BOA T SONG. 223 

days in descending the River from Kingston to Montreal, 
exposed to an intense sun during the day, and at night 
forced to take shelter from the dews in any miserable huts 
upon the banks that would receive us. But the magnifi- 
cent scenery of the St. Lawrence repays all these difficul- 
ties, Our wyageurs had good voices, and sang perfectly 
in tune together. The original words of the air, to which 
I adapted these stanzas, appeared to be a long, incoherent 
story, of which I could understand but little, from the 
barbarous pronunciation of the Canadians. It begins: 

Dans mon chemin j'ai rencontre 
Deux cavaliers tres bien monies: 

And the refrain to every verse was : 

A r ombre d' un bois je m' en vais jouer 
A 1 ombre d' un bois je m' en vais danser. 

" I ventured to harmonize this air, and have published 
it. Without that charm which association gives to every 
little memorial of scenes or feelings that are past, the 
melody may perhaps be thought common and trifling; but 
I remember when we had entered, at sunset, upon one of 
those beautiful lakes, into which the St. Lawrence so 
gi'andly and unexpectedly opens, I have heard this sim- 
ple air with a pleasure which the finest compositions of 
the first masters have never given me ; and now, there is 
not a note of it which does not recall to my memory the 
dip of our oars in the St. Lawrence, the flight our boat 
down the rapids, and all those new and fanciful impres- 
sions to which my heart was alive, during the whole of 
this interesting voyage. 

" The stanzas are supposed to be sung by those myageurs^ 
who go to the Grand Portage by the Utawas River. " 

Et regimen cantus hortatur. — Quintillian. 

Faintly, as tolls the evening chime, 

Our voices keep tune, and our voices keep time ; 

Soon as the woods on shore look dim 

We'll sing- at St. Ann's our parting- hymn. 
Row, brothers, row, the stream runs fast, 
The i-apids are near, and the daylig-ht's past. 

Why should we yet our sail unfurl? 

There is not a breath the blue wave to curl ! 

But when the wind blows off the shore, 

Oh ! SAveetly we'll rest on our weary oar. 
Blow, breezes, blow, the stream runs fast, 
The rapids are near, and the daylight's past. 



PHILIP P. BLISS. 

Utawa'stide! this trembling moon. 
Shall see us float over the surges soon . 
Saint of this green Isle I hear our prayer, 
Oh I grant us cool heavens and favoring air. 

Blow, breezes, blow, the stream runs fast. 

The rapids are near, and the daylight's past. 

We have met with two translations of Moore's Boat 
Song into French, but neither of them are of much merit. 

Besides these Boat Songs, the Islands present many 
Poetic Associations that give to them peculiar interest. 
The late Caleb Lyon, of Lyonsdale, many years since, 
published a poem somewhat after the style of Byron's 
"Isles of Greece," that has been so often reproduced that 
we deem it proper not to include it in the present volume. 

The religious meetings that have been held upon Welles- 
ley Island have given rise to some poetic reminiscences of 
peculiar interest, especially those relating to Mr. Philip P. 
Bliss, whose participation in the Sunday School Parlia- 
ment, in 1876, was brought sadly to mind by the railroad 
casualty that, before the next year, ended his life at Ashta- 
bula, Ohio. This event has been made the subject of 
memorial verses by Miss Winslow, of Brooklyn, The 
following are the opening stanzas of this poem : 

Last year he stood amongst us all, 

Acknowledged King of Song, 
Last year we heard his deep tones fall 

The river side along ; 
We saw his reverend mien, we knew 

His spirit true and bold. 
But of our singer's inner life 

The half was never told. 

We heard the story, as it flew 

On the western wires along, 
With bated breath we heard it true, 

God took our King of Song ; 
We read of fiery chariot wheels, 

Of wintry waters cold. 
But angels saw the agony— 

The half was never told. 



THE "MILLE ILES " OF CREMAZIE, THE 
CANADIAN POET.i 
This poem extends through more than fift}^ stanzas, in 
which the author lets his fancy dwell upon what he would 
do, were he a swallow. He would fly to where the snow- 
flocks fall, and make ihe wildest places echo to his song. 
He would visit Spain, where the almond blooms; the 
gilded dome of Alcazar, and the Royal Palace where the 

(1) Joseph Octave Cremazie, a native of Lower Canada, 
was gifted with a fine poetic talent, and produced several 
pieces that have been greatly admired for the elegance of 
their style, and the highly poetic sentiments which they 
express. The poem above noticed, was published in La 
Litterature Canadienne, 1850 a 1860. ii, 107. 

M. Cremazie was a merchant at Quebec, but proving 
unsuccessful in business, he went from Canada to Brazil, 
and from thence to France, and died at Havre, January 17, 
1879. 

Mr. Lareau, in his Histoire de la Litterature Canadienne, 
in speaking of the style of this poet, says : 

" There is something in Cremazie's talent that is found 
only in those of native genius — it is inspiration. By sud- 
den and passionate flights, he carries you into the highest 
spheres of poetry and thought. He adorns his style with 
coloring the most brilliant, and in his hand everything is 
transformed and animated. He invests the most common 
of events with features that elevate and magnify, yet in 
this exuberance of coloring, and this wealth of words and 
ideas, he in no degree impairs the simplicitj^ of his subject. 
The poetic thought of his writings is clear and refined, and 
his verse is natural, and flows from an abundant source." 

It is understood that a collection of his poems is in 
course of preparation for the press. 



THE MILLE ILE8 OF CREMAZIE. 



Caliph Omar reigned; Cordova, and Old Castile; Leon, 
with its brazen gates, and Seville ; the Escurial and the 
Alhambra, and river-banks fragrant with opening flowers. 
He would view the City of Venice, and the Lions of St. 
Mark ; listen to the serenades of an Italian Summer even- 
ing, and, in short, explore on light and rapid wing what- 
ever region or place the wide world offers — in Europe, in 
India, or in the land of the Nile, that awakens poetic sen- 
timent, displaj's pictures of beauty, or recalls the memory 
of great events. 

Having thus touched, as it were, a thousand islands of 
interest throughout the world, he says: 



Mais quand dans les flots de 

lumiere, 
Viendrait le printemps eiii- 

baume 
Etendre, en chantant, sur la 

terre, 
Son manteau vert et perfume. 

Avec les chansons printan- 

leres, 
Avec le sollel raatinal, 
Avec les f raiches prlmereres, 
Je reviendrais au del natal. 

Quand Eve a I'arbre de la vie, 
De sa main eut cueilli la mort, 
Sur la terre a' jamais fletrie, 
On vit paraitre le remord. 

Puis Adam s'en f ut sur la terre, 
Qui deja pleurait avec lui, 
S'abeuver a la source amere 
Ou nous allons boire aujourd- 
'hui. 

Etles Archang-es sur leurs ailes 
Prenant 1' Eden silencieux, 
Auhaut des spheres eternel- 

les 
Le deposerent dans les cieux ; 

Mais, en s'elancant dans I'es- 

pace 
lis laisserent sur leur chemin 
Tomber pour indiquer leur 

trace 
Quelques fleurs du jardin di vin. 



Et ces fleurs aux couleurs mo- 
biles, 
Tombant dans le fleuve geant, 
Firent eclore les Milles lies, 
Ce paradis du Saint-Laurent. 



Mille lies! collier magniflque 
De diamant et de saphir. 
Qu'eut prefere le monde an- 
tique 
A I'or le plus brillant d'Ophir. 

O belle et sublime coi'onne. 
Que pose sur son large front, 
Le Saint-Laurent, quand sur le 

trone, 
Que ses lacs immenses lui font. 

II vient, eut montrant a la terre 
Son arc-en-ciel eblouissant, 
Faire reienir le tonnerre 
Du Niagara bondissant. 

Mille lies ! rainte merveille, 
Oasis sur les flots dormant, 
Que Ton prendrait pour la cor- 

beille 
Qu'apporte la maind'un amant. 

Dans vos pittoresques asiles, 
Trouvant la paix et le bonheur, 
Je coulerais des jours tran- 

quilles 
En chantant au fond de mon 

coeur. 



THE MILLE ILES OF GREMAZIE. 227 

Ni I'org-uilleuse Andalousie, Ni I'Ende et sa riche nature 

Ni les rivages de Cadix, Ou resplendit Para-Brahma, 

Ni le royaume de Murcie Ni ces oceans de verdure, 

Etincelant comme un rubis; Que celebrant Kalidasa ; 

Ni cette rive poetioue ^i ^^ ^^^''^ ^^^ pyramides, 

Ou brillent Florence et Milan, g! f ^us jes tresors de Memphis, 

Ni Rome et sa splendeur an- gi le.Nil et ses flots rapides 

tique ^^ vient se mirer Osiris. 

^^. ^^ , , Ne Sauraient jamais me redire 

Ni Naples avec son volcan ; Ce que me disent vos echos, 

Ni cette mer eochanteresse ce que soupire cette lyre, 

Ou Stamboul eleve ses tours; Qui chante au mileu des ros- 

Ni ces vallons pleins detristese eaux. i 

Ou possent les flers Giaours; ^^ ^ ^ ^ 

(1) "But when with floods of light, the balmy spring- 
time comes, with its melodies, its mantle of green and its 
perfumes — its vernal songs with the morning sun, and all 
the freshness of awakening life, I would return to my na- 
tive skies. 

"When Eve plucked Death from the Tree of Life, and 
brought tears and sorrow upon earth, Adam was driven 
out into the world to mourn with her, and taste from the 
bitter spring that we drink to-day. 

"Then Angels on their wings, bore the silent Eden to 
the Eternal Spheres on high, and placed it in the heavens — 
but in passing through space, thej^ dropped along the way, 
to mark their course, some flowers from the Garden Divine. 
These flowers of changing hues, falling into the Great 
River, became the Thousand Isles — the Paradise of the St. 
Lawrence. 

"The Thousand Isles! magnificent necklace of diamond 
and sapphire that those of the ancient world would have 
preferred to the brightest" gold of Ophir! Sublime and 
beautiful crown that rests upon the ample brow of the St. 
Lawrence, on her throne of the vast Lakes that displa}'' the 
tinted rainbow, and return the echoes of thundering Niag- 
ara! The Thousand Isles — charming wonder — oasis on the 
sleeping waves — that which might be thought a flower- 
basket "borne by a lover's hand ! In thy picturesque re- 
treats, I find naught but peace and happiness, and spend 
the tranquil days in singing the lays of a heart content ! 

' 'Not proud Andalusia — nor the banks of Cadiz — nor the 
Kingdom of the Moors sparkling like rubies — nor the poetic 
scenes of Florence and Milan — nor Rome with its ancient 



828 THE MILLS ILE8 OF CREMAZIE. 

We mucli regret that we could not here introduce the 
whole of Cremazie's Poem. The portion we give affords, 
however, sufficient evidence of his style, and will justify 
the opinion that has been expressed concerning his poetic 
talent. 

splendors — nor Naples with its volcano — nor that charmed 
sea where Stamboul lifts its towers — nor the vales of sor- 
row where the fierce Giaours dwell — nor India in its native 
wealth, where Para-Brahma shines, or the seas of verdure 
that Kalidasa celebrate — nor the land of the pyramids — 
nor all the treasures of Memphis — nor the rapids of the 
Nile, where we seek and admire Osiris — shall ever thy 
echoes repeat, from the notes of this lyre which is tuned 
amid these charming scenes." 



PARKS AT^D ENCAMPMENTS. 

THE THOUSAND ISLAND PARK ASSOCIATION. 

The idea of establishing an International Camp Ground 
and Summer residence of a strictly religious character was 
originated in 1874, and has been attributed to the Rev. J. 
F. Dayan, of Watertown. ^ The suggestion was readily re- 
ceived by prominent Methodists on both sides of the St. 
Lawrence, and an excursion was planned early in August 
of that year, for the purpose of selecting a location. It 
was composed of some fifty clergymen and laymen, and 
visited Alexandria, and the lower end of Wellesley Island, 
and parts adjacent. On the 16th of September, another ex- 
cursion was arranged, and after due consideration, the head 
of the island was selected, as from its exposure to westerly 
winds, and otherwise fine location, it was deemed most 
favorable. An organization was formed under Chapter 
117, Laws of 1853, entitled "An Act to authorize the for- 
mation of Corporations for the erection of Buildings." 
These articles were dated on the last day of that year, and 
filed with the County Clerk January 29th, and with the 
Secretary of State, February 1st, 1875, under the name of 
"The Thousand Island Camp-Meeting Association"; but 

(1) The Thousand Island Park at Wellesley Island ; Pro- 
gress as an International Centre of Moral, Religious and Sci- 
entific Thought, and Health-giving Summer Resort. By Ar 
thur W. Moore. Montreal, 1877, pp. 267. 



230 THOUSAND ISLAND PABK. 

by a Special Act passed Jan. 18th, 1879, this was changed 
to the name given at the head of this article. From its lo- 
cation, it was necessary that the trustees ^should be citizens 
of the United States, although many Canadians have taken 
an interest in the enterprise from its beginning. 

The capital assumed by the Corporation was $15,000; 
shares, $10; and duration 50 years. The Corporators 
named in the Articles, were John F. Moffett, Isaac L. Hunt, 
jr., John Ferdinand Dayan, A. P. Baltz, Jeremiah Wait, 
Charles W. Haven, and G. W. Candee. The first Trustees 
were Willard Ives, of Watertown; Eliphalet Remington, 
of Ilion; James Johnson, of Clayton; Rev. J. F. Dayan, 
of Watertown; Rev. E. O. Haven, Rev. D. D. Lore and 
Rev. E. C. Curtis, of Syracuse; Rev. M. D. Kinney, of 
Watertown, and A. D. Shaw, of Toronto. 

The management is under those of the Methodist Episco- 
pal denomination, although many persons not of this con- 
nection have residences upon the grounds, and participate 
in the proceedings. 

Early in 1875, excursions were repeatedly made for the 
purchase of lots, as soon as surveys permitted. The lots 
were about 40 by 80 feet in size, and their prices ranged 
from $25 to $100, according to location. The site was 
mostly covered by a thin growth of deciduous trees, with 
some pasture ground, embracing a tract of about 983 acres, 
comprising what is known upon Capt. Owen's British 
Chart of 1818 as Talavera Head. It was surveyed by 
Frank A. Hinds, of Watertown, early in 1875. At the be- 
ginning of the enterprise, a series of regulations was adopt 



THOUSAND ISLAND PARK. 231 

ed, consistent with the object in view, among which was 
a rule forbidding any travel to or from the grounds on the 
Sabbath, and the prohibition of the sale of ardent spirits at 
all times. To give effect to these rules, the lands under 
water have been acquired along the adjacent shores, so 
that an action of trespass might be brought in case of at- 
tempted evasion of these regulations. 

A dedication of the premises was held on the evening of 
July 21st, 1875, when a sermon was preached by Chancel- 
lor E. O. Haven, (now Bishop Haven), from Matthew v. 
1., and a camp -meeting of two weeks' duration followed. 
These camp-meetings have been since held annually, and 
for 1880 the appointment extends from July 11th to 18th, 

In 1876, there was added a Sunday School Parliament — 
in 1877, an International Christian Temperance Camp- 
Meeting, and an Esthetic and Scientific Conference, which 
have each been held since annuall3^ In 1880, the Interna- 
tional Society for Investigating and Promoting the Science 
of Teaching, and a Course of Lectures on Social Science are 
for the first time announced in the programme. 

About two hundred cottages have been built upon the 
grounds of the Thousand Island Park. Their meetings 
are held in a large tent at the head of St. Lawrence Avenue. 

Not the least interesting feature of this Association — and 
the same may be remarked of all the others that have since 
been formed for Summer residence and for Social and Re- 
ligious improvement in this region, — is its inter national 
character. It brings together with equal freedom, and, as 
it were, upon neutral ground, the citizens of both countries. 



S82 WESTMINSTER PARK. 

and tends to the promotion of that friendly feeling that re- 
sults from personal acquaintance, without the least refer- 
ence to differences of Government, or the political relations 
that may have been established by international law. 

This point was beautifully expressed by the Rev. T. 
Bowman Stephenson, B. A., who in one of the visits he 
has made to America in the interest of Homes for destitute 
Boys in England and in Canada, attended the Sunday 
School Parliament at the Thousand Island Park, in Au- 
gust, 1877. Being upon the platform, he came forward in 
the interval between two addresses, and sung before an im- 
mense audience a piece written in the interest of the cause 
that he represented, but inserted upon this occasion the 
following impromptu stanza, that commanded unbounded 

applause: 

"A line runs through these Thousand Isles 

That stud the river's breast ; 
All Northward owns Victoria's sway, 

The Urjion claims the rest. 
The Statesmen say the line exists 

In treatj'-parchment fine, 
But when I hither came to-day 

I did not find the line." 

THE WESTMINSTER PARK ASSOCIATION OF THE THOUSAND 

ISLANDS. 

This Association was incorporated under the same act as 
the one above noticed, by articles dated September 10, 
1877, and filed in the olfice of the Secretary of State, Sep- 
tember 17, and in County Clerk's oflBee on 18th of the 
same month. The proposed term is fifty years ; capital, 
$30,000; shares $100 each, and number of Trustees, 9. 
The corporators were Andrew Cornwall, of Alexandria 



WESTMINSTER PARK. 233 

Bay; Solon D. Hungerford, of Adams; John D. Hunting- 
ton, of Watertown ; Rosell C. Oollis, of Theresa ; George 
Gilbert, of Carthage, and Stephen B. Van Duzee, of 
Gouverneur. The first Trustees were the persons above 
named, together with Patrick H. Agan, of Sj^acuse, 

Lewis Lawrence, of , and Philemon H. Fowler, of 

Utica. 

This Association, which is under Presb3^terian manage- 
ment, purchased a tract of five hundred acres of land on 
the lower end. of Wells or Wellesley Island, known on 
Capt. Owen's chart as Point Vittoma, directly opposite 
the village of Alexandria Bay, and about half a mile dis- 
tant. In addition to this, it owns Mary Island, containing 
twelve and a half acres, having in all a frontage of about 
five miles. 

The survey of these grounds was made by Mr. Hinds, 
of Watertown, in the Autumn of 1877, and an opening 
sale of lots was appointed to be held on the 22d of May, 
1878. 

Upon an eminence called Mount Beulah, a Chapel hav 
ing five sides, of sufficient size when the sash are raised 
to accommodate nearly a thousand persons, has been 
erected, and from its tower, 136 feet high, a superb view 
of the River and Islands is obtained, 

A large Boarding Hall and a Dormitory have been 
erected, and well finished and furnished. 

In addition to religious meetings on the Sabbath and at 
other times, a Sabbath school Assembly was arranged for 
the year 1879. The programme for 1880 had not been ar- 
ranged at the time of our writing. 



23J^ ROUND ISLAND PARK. 

ROUND ISLAND PARK. 

This Association was formed under the same general act 
as the preceding, by articles signed August 30, 1879, and 
filed the same day with the County Clerk, and with the 
Secretary of State, September 6th. Capital $50,000; 
shares $100, and number of Trustees, 5. The corporators 
and first Trustees were John G. Harbottle, Charles A. 
Waterman, George L. Davis, John F. Moffett, all of Wat- 
ertown, and Ambrose E. Sawyer, of Carthage. 

The Island includes about 175 acres, and has been laid 
out into about 400 lots, besides avenues, ornamental parks, 
pic-nic grounds, etc. The principal avenues have been 
graded, and a dock built, 260 feet long, with 14 feet depth 
of water in front, allowing the largest Steamers to ap- 
proach. A hotel is in course of erection, 50 by 200 feet 
on the ground, and four stories high, with accommodations 
for above 400 guests. The first sale of even-numbered 
lots occurred October 14 and 15, 1879, and at the beginning 
of May, 1880, 87 had been sold. Most of the owners are 
putting up cottages. 

The Island 1 is one mile long, and from' 800 to 1,200 feet 
wide, and lies about a quarter of a mile from the main 
shore, and a mile and a half from Clayton Village. This 
park is under the especial patronage of the Baptists, al- 
though many persons not connected with this denomina- 

(1) Named on the charts of the U. S. Engineers as 
'•Pearson's or Round Island." The adjoining Island 
known as "Little Round Island," is also known on the 
charts of both governments as " Colborne Island." 



METHODIST CAMP-GROUNDS. 235 

tion have taken an interest in the enterprise, both in the 
States and in Canada. No programme for the first season 
has been as yet announced. 

PROSPECT PARK. 

This enterprise has not, at the time of writing, been so 
far matured as to enable us to announce its plan of organi- 
zation, nor have Articles of Association been filed. A 
tract of fifty acres upon Bartlett Point, about a mile above 
the depot at Clayton, has been laid out into lots and streets, 
and a considerable amount of grading and improvement 
has been done. It will differ ' from the preceding in its 
being on the main shore. The Point commands a fine 
prospect, and was the scene of an engagement in the war 
of 1812-15, described on page 76 of this volume. 

THE INTERNATIONAL CAMP GROU. D. 

This is in the town of Morristown, St. Lawrence Co., 
N. y., about a mile below the village, and comprises about 
ten acres. It was opened in 1874, and is under the direc- 
tion of Methodists of New York and Canada, acting 
jointly, through Trustees appointed on each side. A camp- 
meeting is held once a year, usually beginning in the latter 
part of July. Convenient access is afforded at these times, 
both by the Utica and Black River Railroad, and by River 
Steamers. 

THE ST, LAWRENCE CENTRAL CAMP GROUND. 

This is on the north shore, in the first concession of 
Elizabeth Township, Ontario, three miles and a half above 



£36 METHODIST CAMP-GROUNDS. 

Brockville, and is held and controlled by the Bay of Quinte 
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It em- 
braces about 25 acres, finely wooded, and was purchased 
in 1875. It has a Tabernacle, a Boarding House, and a 
considerable number of cottages. It is designed not only 
for camp-meetings, but as a place of Summer residence. 



GEOLOGY OF THE THOUSAND ISLANDS. 

There is much Geological interest in the rock-formations 
of this part of the St. Lawrence, and in the evidences that 
they present as to the changes that the earth's surface has 
undergone since the beginning. For the most part, the 
Islands consist of gneiss rock, belonging to the Laurentian 
Period, which here form a connecting link between the vast 
Primary Region, so called, of Upper Canada, and an exten- 
sive district of the same in Northern New York. This gneiss 
is generally obscurely stratified, but with much confusion 
in the lines of original deposit, as if they had been softened 
by heat and distorted by pressure, and the stratification, such 
as it is, is often highly inclined. The rock is composed 
largely of a reddish feldspar, with variable proportions of 
quartz and hornblende, and occasional particles of mag- 
netic iron ore. In some places on the New York side, it is 
found to contain dykes of trap and greenstone, that ramify 
into thin veins, as if injected under great presure, and in a 



GEOLOGY OF THOUSAND ISLANDS. 237 

perfectly liquid form. It also contains, in Jefferson and St. 
Lawrence counties, most interesting crystalline mineral 
forms, in great variety, and in Rossie lead was formerly 
mined in this rock to a large amount. 

Upon one of the Thousand Islands opposite Gananoque, 
the gneiss rock is quarried for cemetery monuments, which 
are sent to Montreal for polishing, and are thought by 
many to be as beautiful as the red Scotch granite for this 
use. The rock is there also quarried for paving blocks, 
and other uses. 

At Gananoque, and at various places among the Islands, 
the Potsdam Sandstone occurs in thick masses, rising into 
cliffs fifty feet or more above the river, and affording a fine 
material for building, being easily worked when freshly 
quarried, and hardening upon exposure to the air. A little 
back from that town, gneiss forms the principal rock, rising 
in naked ridges, with intervening plains that indicate the 
presence of level strata of limestone or sandstone beneath. 
In this region, white crystalline limestone, steatite and 
various other minerals occur. 

Before reaching Brockville, and for a long distance be- 
low, Calciferous Sandstone, and the older limestones con- 
stitute the only rock in situ, and afford excellent quarries 
of building stone. These strata are for the most part level, 
and the very flat region in Jefferson County, lying a little 
back from the River, and extending several miles inland, 
is underlaid by this rock. It contains, in many places, 
the organic remains of lower forms of animal and vegeta- 
ble life, that sometimes stand out in fine relief upon weath- 
ered surfaces of the rock. 
15 



238 GEOLOGY OF THOUSAND ISLANDS. 

At Kingston, and at various points upon both shores, 
and upon Carleton, Wolfe, Howe, Grindstone and other 
Islands, the Birds'-eye and Black River Limestones occur 
in nearly horizontal strata, and in some places are seen 
resting directly upon the gneiss, which comes to the sur- 
face, here and there, and often rises to a greater elevation 
than the adjacent limestone. It would appear that at 
these places an island existed at the time when the sand- 
stones, elsewhere so abundant, were being deposited, and 
that the limestones were formed directly over the gneiss. 
This limestone is largely used for building purposes, at 
Kingston and elsewhere, and it makes excellent lime. 
From the lower and impure strata of this rock, water-lime, 
or hydraulic cement, was formerly made in Jefferson 
County. These limestones at various places contain fossil 
corals, sponges, shells, and other organic remains peculiar 
to the older Silurian period. The Black River Limestone, 
in Watertown, Brownville, and other places, has extensive 
caves, worn by currents of water in former times. These 
have been explored to considerable distances, and appear 
to have been formed by the widening of natural fissures 
in the rock. Their section is more or less oval in form, 
sometimes wider than high, and nearly uniting along the 
line of the fissure, above and below. 

The broken region, of which the Thousand Islands are 
a part, affords on either side of the River, in various 
places, a number of picturesque Lakes, and within a dis- 
tance of twenty miles, in Jefferson County, there are ex- 
tensive mines of red hematite, that have been wrought 



GEOLOGY OF THO USA JVB ISLA liBS. 239 

for more than fifty years, supplying several iron furnaces 
in their vicinity, and a large amount of ore for exportation 
to other points. Geologically, these iron ores occur in 
thick beds along the junction of the gneiss and the older 
fossiliferous formations, and they seem to extend downward 
to an unlimited extent. 

In speaking of the Thousand Islands as a field for geo- 
logical study, a writer, who has taken great interest in this 
subject, says:^ 

' 'One of the finest River Archipelagoes on the globe, is 
this of the St. Lawrence. Indeed, it is almost the only 
one that has such a vast number of Islets, all of rocky 
formation; high, healthy, wooded, without muddy or 
marshy shores; small enough for inexhaustible variety; 
deep, navigable channels everywhere, and above all, the 
very crown and glory of the picturesque. * * 

The location is one of the very best for geological study. 
The Laurentian system is reckoned the oldest exposure, or 
among the oldest, on the globe. The granite is largely 
composed of feldspar, and so differs widely from the fa- 
mous granites of New England, in which hornblende 
forms so large an element, and which are nearly a true 
syenite. The Potsdam Sandstone here lies directly upon 
the granite. Both show wonderfully the erosion of waves 
by which the great inland sea, of ancient geological ages, 
wore down this partial outlet to the Sea. Both show, also, 
the grinding and planing action of the glacial drift, which 
here wrought with enormous power. There are drift striae 
or grooves here, cut into this hard granite, some of them 
showing for several rods in length, straight as a line, and 
as wide and deep as half a hogshead divided lengthwise of 
the staves. 

' ' A block of granite, as large as a small house, held fast 
in the under surface of a moving sheet of ice, as a glazier's 
diamond in its steel handle ; another sheet of ice, hundreds 
of feet thick and thousands of miles wide, and creeping 

(1) George Lansing Taylor, D. D. '^QQWestern Christian 
Sentinel, August 21, 1878. 



2Ifi GEOLOGY OF THOUSAND ISLANDS. 

onward with a slow but irresistible movement — what a 
glass-cutter that! And when that whole sheet of ice is 
thickly studded on its under side with such blocks, great 
and small, we can get a conception of what an enormous 
rasp the hand of Omnipotence wielded in planing and 
and polishing all the upper surfaces, expecially the north- 
ern, western, and north-western exposures of these mighty 
rocks. The tooth-marks of this rasp are the glacial striae 
of geologists, and this is an excellent place to study them. 

"For half a mile, fronting on Eel Bay, there is an almost 
continuous frontage of the glacier-planed rocks. At its 
western end, this rocky ridge breaks down abruptly in 
lofty precipices called the 'Palisades,' with a deep, naviga- 
ble strait of the River, called the 'Narrows.' Here is an 
admirable place to study the cleavage and fracture of these 
rocks, and the whole is one of the finest scenic views of 
the Great River." 

An anonymous writer, in a book of Travels "dedicated 

to the Wanderer by one of his class, "^ — but known to be 

John F. Campbell, of Islay, had his attention much at 

tracted by geological phenomena, and in noticing glacial 

agencies, remarks as follows concerning this part of the St. 

Lawrence : 

' 'At the foot of Lake Ontario, at Brockville, a rock of 
gray quartz in the town is so finely polished that lines on it 
were invisible, and almost imperceptible, till a heel-ball rub- 
bing brought them out. Their main direction is N. 45° 
East (magnetic), and large polished grooves, in which sand 
lines occur, are ten feet wide. At other spots on the same 
rock, lines point north and have other bearings, but the 
whole shape of the country bears N. E. and S. W. 

"Beyond Brockville, the Thousand Islands of Lake Onta- 
rio closely resemble groups of low rocks off Gottenburgh. 
The solid rock foundation of Canada, up to the level of 
Lake Ontario, is glaciated. It is striated in various di- 
rections, but the main lines observed aimed from Belleisle 
towards Niagara. Upon or near the rock are beds of sand, 

(1) A Short American Tramp in the Fall of 186^. By the 
Editor of "Life in Normandy." Edinburgh, 1865. 



LAKE REGIONS. ^1 

shells, gravel, and clay, with large and well-scratched bowl- 
ders of foreign origin. Higher than these beds of drift 
are more beds of sand, shells, gravel, clay and bowlders as 
high up as the top of Montreal Mountain, and the top of 
Niagara Falls. " 

In noticing these phenomena of glacial action, it may be 
remarked that the whole surface of the country North and 
South, and to a great distance is found strewn here and 
there with bowlders, some of them of immense size, and in 
other places are moraines or ridges in great abundance. 
Drift-hills composed of sand, gravel and bowlders, some- 
times cemented by clay into "hard-pan," are a common 

occurrence. 

Lake Ridges.. 

We may in this connection notice the "Lake Ridges," 
so-called, that occur on both sides of the Lake, and at vari- 
ous elevations above its present level. These particularly 
engaged the attention of Prof. Charles Lyell, the English 
geologist, who in his journey in 1842, stopped at Toronto 
to examine them as they occur northward from that City. 
The first of the ridges, was a mile inland — and 108 feet 
above the present level of the Lake. It arose from 30 to 
40 feet above the level land at its base, and could be traced 
by the eye running a long distance east and west, being 
marked by a narrow belt of fir-wood, while above and be- 
low, the soil was clayey, and bore other kinds of timber. 

The second ridge a mile and a half further inland was 
208 feet above the Lake at its base, as determined by canal 
and railroad surveys, and arose 50 to 70 feet high, the 
ground being flat both above and below, and at the foot 
lay a great number of bowlders, which, from their compost- 



^^ LAKE REGIONS. 

tion, showed that they came from the North. Some of 
these bowlders lay on the top of the ridge, but there were 
but few erratic rocks on the soil between these ridges. 

Another ride of two miles and a half, in a northerly di- 
rection, brought him to a third ridge, five miles from the 
Lake — less conspicuous than either of the former, being 
little more than a steep slope of ten feet, by which the 
higher terrace was reached, onlj^ 80 feet above the base of 
the second ridge. Thus he went on, passing one ridge af- 
ter another, sometimes deviating several miles from the 
direct course, to fix the continuity of level, and observing 
their general character. He saw no less than eleven of 
these ridges in all, some of which might be called cliffs, or 
the abrupt terminations of terraces of clay, which cover 
the Silurian rocks of that region to a great depth, and be- 
longing to the drift or bowlder formation. 

The highest ridge was about 680 feet above the Lake, 
the water-shed between Lakes Ontario and Simcoe 'being 
762 feet. From the summit, the slope toward Lake Sim- 
coe descends 282 feet, and along down this, several ridges 
were found, showing that water had formerly flowed to a 
higher level than the present. 

Mr. Lyell remarks that he had never before observed so 
striking an example of banks, terraces, and accumulations 
of stratified gravel, sand and clay, maintaining over wide 
areas so perfect a horizontality as in this district north of 
Toronto. He remarks that the hypothesis of the successive 
breaking down of barriers of an ancient lake or fresh-water 
ocean has now been generally abandoned, from the im- 



LAKE REGIONS. ^43 

possibility of conceiving here, as in the west of Scotland, as 
to where lands capable of damming up the waters to such 
height could have been situated, or how, if they have ex- 
isted, they could have disappeared, while the levels of the 
ancient beaches remained undisturbed. He, therefore, in- 
clines to the belief that they were the margins of the an- 
cient sea, which has changed level from the upheavals of 
the Continent. This must have been intermittent ; so that 
pauses occurred, during which the coast-line remained 
stationary for centuries, and in which the waves would 
have time to cut cliffs, or throw up beaches, or throw down 
littoral deposits and sand-banks near the shore. 

In support of this theory, he cites the example of Scan- 
dinavia, which has been slowly, yet perceptibly rising from 
the sea within the historic period, at the rate of two or 
three feet in a century. We know too little of the laws that 
govern these subterranean movements, to deny the possi- 
bility of such intermittent changes in the level of the sea. 

While the cliff margins might have been the abrupt 
shore in an extremely ancient period, the bars of sand on 
the highest levels may have been formed on the inland 
margin of shallow waters, at some distance from deep 
waters, as may be seen in course of formation in some 
places at the present time. 

Depth of the St. Lawrence. — Tides in the Lakes. 

The soundings in the River, among the Islands, indicate 
a great irregularity of depth, the bottom being generally 
rocky, and quite as diversified as the parts that rise above 
the surface. The greatest depth is 120 feet, but the usual 



2U DEPTH OF TEE RIVERS. — TIDES. 

soundings are from 30 to 60 feet. As a general rule, the 
navigation among the Islands is entirely safe to vessels of 
,the size usually employed upon these waters, and all the 
dangerous rocks and reefs have their position marked. 

The level of the River differs one year with another, the 
extreme range being about seven feet. These changes are 
not the immediate effects of excessive rains, such as cause 
floods in other rivers, but appear to be occasioned by the 
different quantities of rain falling, in some years more 
than in others, and which finds its way down months 
afterward. A series of several years of high water, and 
others of low water, are known to occur. The level of 
the River is also affected by strong prevailing winds, blow- 
ing up or down the lake, and several instances of rapid 
fall, followed by a returning wave of extraordinary height, 
have been reported. Some have supposed these sudden 
changes of level to be caused by earthquake-shocks, but a- 
more probable theory appears to be, that they are occa- 
sioned by the passage of a water-spout, or a tornado at a 
distant point. There is also found to be a slight, but well- 
marked tide in the Lakes, depending upon lunar changes, 
like those upon the Ocean, capable of the same prediction, 
and governed by the same laws. This fact has been proved 
by long-continued, self-recording observations. It may 
often be disguised by oscillation in the level occasioned 
by the winds. It was observed by Charlevoix, in 1721, 
that the level of the Lake changed several times in a day, 
as may be seen anywhere along the shore, especially upon 
a gently-sloping beach. This is probably due chiefly to 
the action of the winds. 



BOUNDARY LINES. 

In French Colonial times, there was no boundary ac- 
knowledged by both Governments, as existing between 
the French and English settlements. Each party claimed 
far beyond the point allowed by the other, and the en- 
croachments of the former upon Lake Champlain and in 
the West, are well known to have led to the war that ended 
in 1760, in the establishment of English authority over the 
whole. 

The Province of Quebec as created by Royal Proclama- 
tion, was bounded on the South, from the Connecticut to 
the St. Lawrence Rivers, by the line of 45° North Latitude^ 
and South-Westward by a line running from the point 
where this line intersected the St. Lawrence to the South 
end of Lake Nipessing. A survey of the line of 45° was 
begun in 1773 by John Collins, on the part of Quebec, and 
Thomas Vallentine on the part of New York ; but the latter 
having died, Claude Joseph Sauthier was appointed in his 
place, and the work was completed October 20, 1774.^ 

In the treaty of 1783, the line of the River and Lakes 
was adopted as the boundary westward from St. Regis, but 
no surveys of this part were undertaken until about thirty- 

(1) A map of this survey by Collins, is tiled in the Secre- 
retary of State's office at Albany. It is on a scale of two 
miles to an inch and embraces the country from the Connect- 
icut River to St. Regis, (Maps No. 175, Secretary's office.) 



2Jf.6 BOUNDARY LINE. 

five years afterwards. The military posts on the American 
side of the boundary were held by the British under the 
pretext of protecting the claims of British subjects until 
definitely relinquished under the Jay Treaty, signed No- 
vember 19, 1794, under which it was agreed that they 
should be given up on or before June 1, 1796. In the 
mean time the discussion as to boundaries continued, and 
Lieutenant-Governor J. G. Simcoe, of Upper Canada, was 
particularly strenuous in insisting upon an aggressive ad- 
vance of the Frontier, that should secure to British inter- 
ests in the interior the magnificent Empire which the 
French had endeavored to establish. He would have had 
Niagara, the Seat of Government of this English America, 
and had his first concessions been allowed, the western 
boundary of the United States would have been the Gene- 
see Elver, and a line extending from its head- waters to the 
sources of the Ohio, and thence southward, along the 
Alleghenies to the Gulf Coast. 

When this could not be secured, he proposed a line from 
Presque Isle [Erie, Pa.,] to Pittsburgh; — then the Cuya- 
hoga, and as a last extremity the Miami River. Early in 
1793, in a long letter to the Home Government, he pointed 
out the great advantages that would result to Canada from 
the adoption of a line that should run from Lake Ontario 
across the country to the southern end of Lake Champlain, 
including the disputed boundaries upon that Lake. Until 
the last moment, he had clung to the hope of attaching 
Vermont to Canada, and the correspondence of that period 
shows that an expectation of this result had been encour- 



BOUNDARY LINE. 2Ji,7 

aged by the turbulent leaders in that State as an alternative 

preferred to submission to the authority of either of the 

claiming States. He adds : 

"I should think Oswego, and I question whether Niagara 
would not be a cheap sacrifice for such a limit ; which would 
be strictly defensive on our part, and calculated to prevent 
future disagreements. I have heard that Carleton Island, 
the most important post on Lake Ontario, is on the British 
side of the line, as the better channel is between that and 
the northern [?] shore. "^ 

Again in writing to the Rt. Hon. Henry Dundas, No- 
vember 4, 1793, he says : "I beg to send a map of the 
River Saint Lawrence, that in case of a Treaty being en- 
tered into with the United States, it may plainly appear of 
what consequence it is to render it effectual and perma- 
nent, that the British Boundary should enclose the Islands 
of the St. Lawrence." 

Under the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the war of 
1812-15, Peter B. Porter, was appointed on the part of the 
United States, and Andrew Barclay, on the part of Great 
Britain, as Commissioners to run and mark the Line. The 
survey was begun in 1817, and their report was signed 
June 18th, 1822, subject to ratification by their respective 
Governments. Their operations were conducted with much 
precision, and the details were reduced to maps that have 
never been published. Copies of these are preserved in the 
oflBces of record of the countries concerned. 

While the Boundary Survey was in progress, Col. Samuel 

(1) Simcoe Papers, MSS. 442. Doubtless the word "north- 
ern" is an error in copying, and was probably written 

"southern." 



21^8 BO UNDAB T LINE. 

Hawkins, the Agent of the American Commission, gave a 
fete champetre upon one of the lower islands, to which the 
members of the Commission on both sides were invited. 
The incident is described by Mr. Darby, who says : 

"The day was even on the St. Lawrence uncommonly 
fine, and amid the groves of aspen, wild-cherry, and linden 
trees, the scene seemed more than earthly. Mrs. Hawkins 
presided, and in the bowers of the St. Lawrence recalled 
the most polished manners of civilized society in the 
crowded City. At the close of evening, Major Joseph Dela- 
field and myself walked over the Island, and in full view 
of the objects which excited our feelings, concluded that 
no spot on the globe could unite in so small a space more 
to please, to amuse, and gratify the fancy." 

The earlier surveys between the St. Lawrence and Con- 
necticut Rivers, being made without precision, were found 
in 1818 to be almost everywhere upon a line too far north. 
At St. Regis, the departure from the true Latitude of 45° 
was found to be 1,375 feet; at the French 31ills, [Fort Cov- 
ington,] it was 154 feet; at Chateauguy River, 975 feet, 
and at Rouse's Point, 4,576 feet. 

The Government of the United States, had begun to erect 
a Fort on Lake Champlain, near what was the supposed 
boundary, soon after the war of 1812-15, and this was 
wholly carried over into Canada, by the survey of 1818. 
It had been christened "Fort Montgomery," but now in 
common parlance was called "Fort Blunder." The Amer- 
icans being unable, and the Canadians unwilling to protect 
the property, it became the prey of whoever chose to plun- 
der it of materials, as needed for building purposes. Fin- 
ally, by the surveys of 1842, the old line of 1774 was 
taken by compromise, and the site being thus restored to 



BO UNDAR T LINE. 21,9 

the possession of the United States, work was resumed, 
and carried, we believe, to completion, under the original 
name. 

In the surveys made under the Webster-Ashburton 
Treaty of 1843, J. B. Bucknall Estcourt, Lieut-Col., was 
appointed by the Government of Great Britain, and Albert 
Smith, by that of the United States. They confirmed the 
line in the River, as it had been located under the Treaty 
of Ghent, and the old line marked by Yallentine and Col- 
lins between the St. Lawrence and Lake Champlain. They 
were able to follow this line by the marks on the trees, 
still visible, or found by cutting into them ; but where 
these could not be found, or where clearings had been 
made, straight lines were run between these old land-marks, 
and iron monuments were set at every angle of deflection, 
and at the crossing of rivers, lakes and roads. The bound- 
ary line is therefore not on the true parallel of 45^ nor in 
the middle of the channel, but it is a conventional line, 
agreed upon by both Governments, and accurately defined 
by monuments and records. 

The larger islands in the St. Lawrence below Ogdens- 
burgh, had long been settled under St. Regis Indian titles, 
and were occupied at the time of the Survey by settlers 
who up to that time, had been regarded as British Subjects. 

Some forty years afterwards, the persons who had sus- 
tained losses by this transfer, applied to the State of New 
York for compensation-, and their claims became the sub- 
ject of investigation, and of Legislative action for their 
relief. 



HYDROGRAPHICAL AND TOPOGRAPHICAL 
SURVEYS. 

BRITISH SURVEYS. 

The first surveys of Lakes Ontario and Erie, were made 
in the Summer of 1789, under the direction of Mr. Niff, 
an Engineer. They only embraced the south shore of 
Lake Ontario, from Carleton Island to Niagara, and the 
south shore of Lake Erie, from its eastern end to Detroit. 

The Engineer's instructions required him, in addition to 
the soundings, to note the locations proper for ship-build- 
ing, the quality of land for settlement, and the kind of 
timber along the shores. It will be remembered that the 
whole of this region, now within the States, was then 
still held by the British military authorities, and it may be 
inferred from the above instructions that they were look- 
ing forward to a time when it should be permanently under 
their control. 

Soon after the war of 1812-15, a survey of the eastern 
end of Lake Ontario, and of the River St. Lawrence, as 
far down as the Gallop Rapids, was made by Capt. W. F, 
W. Owen, of the Royal Navy, with soundings, a definite 
delineation of the shores and islands, and some topograph- 
ical details concerning the adjacent parts. This survey 
was completed in 1818, and published by the Hydrograph- 
ical OflQce of the Admiralty, in 1828, forming a series of 



LAKE AND RIVER SURVEYS. 251 

five charts. These were re-engraved, with corrections, in 
1861, and are found in the collection known as the " Bay- 
field Charts," which in all, embrace an extensive series of 
Lake Surveys. 

An elaborate survey of the region around Kingston, in- 
cluding the adjacent Islands, upon a large scale, and show- 
ing the contour of surface and details of topography, with 
special reference to its military defences, was prepared a 
few years since, and a limited edition printed. ^ 

UNITED STATES LAKE SURVEYS. 

For many years, the survey of the Northern and North- 
western Lakes has been in course of execution by the 
Corps of Engineers of the War Department. These trigo- 
metrical and hydrographical surveys were begun upon 
Lake Ontario and the River St. Lawrence about ten 3'ears 
since, and during the years 1871 to 1875, were extended 

(1) Traces of the fort erected more than two centuries 
ago, were still existing at Kingston, when settlement be- 
gan. A fort was built in 1789, and in the war of 1812-15, 
other defensive works were added. Fort Henry, upon the 
height east of the City, was begun in 1832, and occupied 
in 1836. It was built by the British Government at a cost 
of £72,747, and faces toward the land, the side that would 
appear to be least liable to attack. In 1842, Fort Fi^ederick 
was built, as an advanced battery, at a cost of £10,000. 
In 1848, a circular tower known as CatJicarts' Redoubt, was 
built on Cedar Island, at a cost of £9.430. Murney's Re- 
doubt, on the west side of the City, and a tower on a rock 
in the harbor, in front of the City Hall, are similar 
structures. 

A Military School has lately been established by the Do- 
minion Government at Kingston, and its new buildings ap- 
pear to fine advantage upon the military grounds on the 
east side of the harbor. 



252 LAKE AND RIVEB SURVEYS. 

along the River from St. Regis to the Lake, under the 
direction of Brig. -Gen. C. B. Comstock. In 1876, there- 
suits were published in six charts, which represent the part 
of the River from St. Regis to the foot of Wolfe Island, 
upon a scale of 1 to 30,000 or a little more than two miles 
to an inch. They embrace the whole of the River, and 
the topography of both shores, but do not indicate the 
boundary line. A map of the eastern end of Lake On- 
tario, being No. 1 of a separate series, on a scale of 1 to 
80,000, or about four-fifths of an inch to a mile, has also 
been published under the same direction. These charts 
all have a great number of soundings, with indications of 
the nature of the bottom, the contour and cultivation of 
the land on the Islands and adjacent shores, the place of 
buildings, the lines of roads, and of streets in villages, and 
the character and extent of woodlands, with an accuracy 
of detail that proves the excellence of the work. 



LIGHT-HOUSES. 

A few facts concerning the Light- Houses along the St. 
Lawrence, may not be without interest : 

The American Light-Houses are under the care of a 
" Light-House Board," in the Treasury Department, and 
the coasts and rivers of the country, are divided into 15 
Districts, Of these, the lOtli District extends from St. 
Regis to Detroit, with the head -quarters of the Inspector 



LIGHTHOUSES. 253 

and Engineer at Buffalo. Within this District, there are 
67 Light-Houses, and about 150 buoys (spars and cans), 
anchored so as to show the course of the channel, or the 
position of dangerous places. These spars, etc. , are taken up 
at the close of navigation, and replaced after the ice has dis- 
appeared in the Spring. By their color and numbers, they 
give information that all navigators must understand. 
There are six American Lights from Ogdensburg to Tib- 
bett's Point inclusive. They have all fixed white lights, 
with lens apparatus of the 4th or 6th order. Their names 
and position are as follows : 

Ogdensburg, on a rocky islet, 190 yards from south shore; 
built in 1834; refitted in 1870; a square tower, 42 feet high, 
with keeper's dwelling. 

Cross-over Island, 20 miles above Ogdensburgh ; a tower 
37 feet high, on keeper's brick dwelling; lantern black; 
built in 1837; refitted in 1870. 

&8ter Islands, 6^ miles further up ; a tower on keeper's 
stone dwelling; lantern black, with red dome; built in 
1870; height 43 feet. 

Sunken Rock, 6 miles further up, on Bush Island, about 
a quarter of a mile north of Alexandria Bay ; an octagonal 
brick tower, sheathed with boards ; white ; height 31 feet ; 
built in 1847; refitted in 1855. 

Rock Island, 7 miles further up; keeper's dwelling of 
brick, white, with a low tower on top, dome black; height 
39 feet; built in 1847; refitted in 1855. 

Tihhetfs Point, 23 miles above, at the outlet of the Lake; 
a stone building connected by covered way with a round 



25 J^ LIOHT-H0U8E8. 

brick tower 67 feet high, white; built in 1827; refitted in 
1854. 

The oldest Light-House on the Lake, is that near Fort 
Niagara, built in 1813 ; the next oldest, is the one on Galloo 
Island, built in 1820. All the lights on the St. Lawrence 
and the Great Lakes are discontinued from January 1st 
until the opening of navigation, unless otherwise specially 
directed. 

The Dominion Light-House System is under the 
charge of the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries, and at the 
beginning of 1880 embraced 482 lights, of which Labrador 
had 4 ; Newfoundland 3 ; Gulf and River of St. Lawrence 
140 to Montreal — 19 from thence to Windmill Point near 
Prescott, and 10 from thence to the Lake ; Saguenay River 
6; Richlieu River 5; Lake Memphramagog 6; Ottawa 
River 16; Lake Ontario 29; Lake Simcoe 1; Lake Erie 15; 
Detroit River 2 ; Lake St. Clair 1 ; Lake Huron 32 ; Lake 
Superior 9 ; Prince Edwards Island 29 ; Cape Breton Island 
23; Nova Scotia (Atlantic Coast) 63; Bay of Fundy 48; St. 
John's River 13; Lake Winnipeg 1, and British Colum- 
bia 7. 

The lights from Prescott to Lake Ontario are as follows : 

Cole Shoal, on a pier 5 miles west of Brockville. 

Grenadier Island, (S. W. Point,) 2 miles below Rock- 
port. 

Lindoe Island, 5 miles west of Rockport. 

Oananoque Narrows, 5 miles below Gananoque, on Little 
Stave Island. 

Jack Straw Shoal, on a pier, north side of channel, 3 
miles below Gananoque. 



STEAM NA VIGA TION. 26i> 

Spectacle Shoal, on a pier, north side, 1^ miles west of 
Gananoque. 

Bed Horse Rock, on a pier, S. E. side of channel, one 
mile above Spectacle Shoals. 

Burnt Island, at S. E. point of Island, north side of 
channel, i mile from Red Horse Rock. 

Wolfe Island, on Quebec, or East Point of Island — and 
Broirns or Knapp's Point, on Wolfe Island, 

These are all fixed single lights, with metallic reflectors, 
on white square wooden towers, and were all built in 1856, 
except Wolfe Island Light in 1861, and that on Brown's 
Point in 1874. 



STEAM NAVIGATION UPON LAKE ONTARIO ANB 
THE ST. LAWRENCE. 

The first Steamboat that appeared upon this Lake was 
the Oneida, in 1817. The boat was 110 feet long, 24 wide,, 
and 8 deep, and measured 237 tons, and had a low-pressure 
cross-head engine, and a 34-inch cylinder with 4-feet stroke. 
She had two masts, and used sails when the wind favored. 
It was indeed a neic era in navigation, and from this time 
Durham boats, bateaux, and all the pleasant associations 
which boat songs recall were doomed to disappear. The 
new steamboat was indeed a wonder in this part of the 
world, and at every landing crowds assembled from far 
and wide, to catch a vieAv of the first wreath of smoke 
from her stack, and to watch and wonder as she slowly 



256 STEAM NA VIGA TION. 

and majestically came up, and as she independently de- 
parted on her appointed course. Every village that could 
muster a cannon, and every steeple that had a bell, an- 
nounced the event, and joined in the welcome. Bonfires 
and illuminations, the congratulations of friends and in- 
terchange of hospitalities, signalized the event along the 
whole of the route, and the occasion was noted down as 
one to be long remembered. The round trip from Ogdens- 
burgh to Lewiston required ten days. Fare, $16 in the 
cabin, and $8 on deck. Master, Captain Mallaby. The 
Oneida ran till 1832, seldom making more than five miles 
_an hour. The Frontenac came out from Kingston not long 
after. From this time down, the number has been legion ; 
but since the completion of the Grand Trunk Railway, the 
importance of steam navigation has greatly declined, and 
several fine steamers were taken down the Rapids never 
to return. ^ 

But whatever the future may determine, as regards the 
lines of business travel, the St. Lawrence will always, in its 
Islands and its Rapids, present an attractive route for tour- 

(1) A large amount of information concerning steam- 
boats upon the Lake will be found in the History of St. 
Laiorence and Franklin Counties, (1853), and the History 
of Jefferson County, (1854.) 

For many years Clayton was a noted place for steamboat 
building. Some of the finest steamers that ever appeared 
on these waters, came from the shipyard of Mr. John 
Oades of that place. Of these the New York and the Bay 
State, — truly magnificent in their appointments, were after- 
wards emploj^ed on ocean service. Other Lake steamers 
were used during our late war as blockade runners on the 
Southern coast. 



STEAM NA VIGA TION. —L UMBERING. 257 

ists in the Summer season. We may never again witness a 
fleet of Steamers as magnificent as those of the ''Ontario 
and St. Lawrence Steamboat Co.,'' which in its best days 
had eleven such in daily use, — while the Canadians at the 
same time had numerous elegant Steamers fully employed; 
but under the law universally true in business, that Ihe sup- 
ply will be regulated by the demand, we may confidently look 
for abundant comfort and elegance in these Steamers upon 
the St. Lawrence. The history of steam navigation scarce- 
ly presents a more remarkable freedom from accidents than 
does that upon this Lake and River — a circumstance due 
as well to the intelligence of those entrusted with their nav- 
igation, as to the sagacity of owners, who saw their true 
interest to consist in the certainty of their engagements, 
rather than in a reputation for extraordinary achievements 
in amount of business, or high rate of speed. 

Life-Saying Stations, were first established by the 
Government of the United States upon Lake Ontario, in 
the Summer of 1854, consisting originally of Francis's Me- 
tallic Life-Boats, with fixtures, but without buildings to shel- 
ter, or crews to manage them. The system has since been 
perfected as the wants of the service required. 



LUMBERING UPON THE RIVER ST. LAWRENCE. 

In several of the descriptions given in the preceding 
pages, allusion is made to woodland scenes and w^oodmen's 
labors. One of the earliest and most extensive operators 
in this line was William Wells, eldest son of Thos. Wells, 



^58 LUMBERING. 

from Sandown, N. H., who came to Canada in 1787, and 
began lumbering operations about 1790, on the Island to 
which his name is now often applied. He would establish 
a shanty at a convenient point, and with the aid of hired 
men, work up into staves all the timber suitable to this use 
within convenient reach, and when this was exhausted he 
would remove to another place. He thus went over the 
whole of this Island, and other Islands in the River, until 
the business became no longer profitable. His market was 
England, by way of Quebec, to which place his stock was 
sent upon rafts. At a later period, Carleton Island for a 
short time became an important lumber station, and later 
still, Clayton, where for many years immense quantities of 
timber, brought down from the Upper Lakes in vessels, 
were made up into rafts in French Creek, and sent down 
to Quebec. It was there again loaded into vessels, for 
the European markets. It recent years, the foot of Wolfe 
Island, and Garden Island, opposite to Kingston, have 
been the principal lumbering stations on the River. The 
business has for a long time depended upon supplies 
brought down from distant points in the West, and is now 
greatly reduced from the exhaustion of supplies. 

(1) Mr. Wells was born June 30, 1768, and for two 
years after his coming to Canada, he worked in the service 
of David Jones, of Brockville. He continued his lumber- 
ing operations (except as interrupted by the war) until the 
timber suitable for market along the River was exhausted, 
and then established himself upon the Bonnechere, a trib- 
utary of the Ottawa, until 1832. He then limited himself 
to agriculture until his death, which occurred October 10, 
1843. 



ADDITIONAL FACTS CONCERNINa CARLETON 
ISLAND. 

The romantic interest pertaining to the silent ruins of the 
Fort upon this Island, justifies the addition of some further 
facts concerning its evacuation as a naval station, the with- 
drawal of its garrison, removal of its stores and final trans- 
fer of its cannon to another Fort on the northern shore of 
Lake Ontario. 

On the 29th of May, 1788, Capt. Mann, Commanding 
Engineer, was ordered to examine both Carleton Island and 
Kingston, and report as to " which was most eligible as a 
station for the King's ships and the protection of lake 
navigation, and what works were necessary for that pur- 
pose." He reported in favor of the latter, and from this 
date, the place is mentioned as one that "used to be 
of note." 

On the 13th of October, 1789. there were found eighteen 
gun-carriages, all but one un-repairable, of which two were 
for eighteen pounders, three for twelves, three for nines, 
six for sixes, and four for fours. They would probably 
in this climate become in this condition in ten or twelve 
years On the next day his Majesty's Scow Seneca was 
ordered " to be sent around to Carleton Island from the 
Ordnance and Stores at that place. " 

There can be no doubt but that the stores were removed 



260 MORE ABO UT CARLETON ISLAND. 

in October, 1789, but for some reason the cannon were not 
then removed. 

In an official report of the condition of the public works 
at Kingston dated May 15, 1791, an Indian store-house is 
mentioned "which formerly served as a hospital on Carle- 
ton Island, which had been removed, and had served the 
same purpose till within the last three years. " 

On the 10th of June, 1793, nineteen guns, of which ten 
were eighteens, five twelves, two nines, and two sixes were 
minutely described as still on the w^orks. As the iron 
work of the rotten carriages was being stolen, Capt. Por- 
ter ordered them to be burned, and the irons stored, and 
finally, in August of that year, the Missesmgua was sent by 
Capt. Geo. Glasgow, of the Royal Artillery, to remove 
these guns, and some others from Kingston to Toronto. 

Extract of a Letter from Lieut.-Oov. J. G. Simcoe, of Up- 
per Canada, to Lieut.- Gov. Alured Clarke, ofLoicer Canada. ^ 

Navy Hall, June 17th, 1793. 
' ' I enclose a return of the Cannon at Carleton Island. 
Those 18-pounders reported to be sunk, are nowhere to be 
found. The guns are all marked as unservicable, and the 
carriages are so rotten, that, agreeable to the Ordinance In- 
structions, as people are stealing the iron, Capt. Porter has 
ordered them to be burnt, and the iron conveyed into the 
store ; but as Capt. Glasgow is of opinion that many of 
these heavy cannon may be so mounted at Toronto, as to 
be useful in that post, and as I wish to avail myself of the 
experience of this valuable officer, whilst I have the good 
fortune to possess him in this Province, I must request 
that your Excellency will permit me to transfer so many of 
them as shall be expedient to that place." 

(1) Simcoe Papers, ii, 136. 



MORE ABOUT GARLETON ISLAND. 261 

Oen. Alured Clarke to Lieut. Oovernor Simcoe.'^ 

Quebec, July 8, 1793. 

The report you enclosed of the guns at Carleton Island, 
has been submitted to the consideration of Lieut. Colonel 
Walker, commanding the Royal iVrtillery, who declines 
recommending the putting in use ordnance which has been 
so long looked upon as unserviceable, lest some accident 
might be the result of their being employed. However, if 
you are upon further consideration of this matter still de- 
sirous for having some of them removed for the purpose 
you mention, I do acquiesce in your ordering it to be done. 

I must here take notice that though I am persuaded 
Capt. Porter's motives were good, for ordering the rotten 
gun- carriages to be destroyed, and the iron brought into 
store, yet this step was rather premature, as it would have 
been more regular and conformable to the Board of Ord- 
nance, to have applied for a survey, and their destruction 
delayed till orders were sent him for that purpose. 

Lieut. Oocernor Simcoe to General Glarke.^ 

Navy Hall, July 24, 1793. 

I shall immediately proceed to Toronto, (York), whither 
I hope the whole of the Queen's Rangers will be encamped 
in a few days, when I shall do myself the honor of making 
a more specific report on the subject of fortifying that 
harbor. Its extent, and the difficulty that any enemy must 
have of bringing heavy cannon or howitzers into the Prov- 
ince, necessarily points out the advantages that must result 
from a few guns of the largest calibre. The caronades 
meant for the shipping, I have always purposed to make 
use of, and my intention has been to select some of the 
best guns from Carleton Island that at the least expense we 
make the most formidable resistance." 

Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe to General Clarke.^ 

York, August 2, 1793. 

"I apprehend Captain Porter must have executed some 
former order, as it is merely from the Artillery through 

(1) Simcoe Paper, ii, 158. (2) Simcoe Papers, ii, 149. 

(3) Simcoe Papers, ii, 201. 



m2 MORE ABOUT CARLETON ISLAND. 

Captain Glasgow, that I have as yet received any accounts 
of his liaving destroyed the carriages at Carleton Island, 
and which has been rather unseasonable to my view." 

Letter from Captain Oeorge Glasgoio. 

York, August 6, 1793. 

Sir — His Excellency Colonel Simcoe, having directed 
the Missessagua to proceed rom hence to Kingston and 
Carleton Island, in order to return here with the utmost 
expedition after receiving on board the cannon, carronades, 
carriages, etc., together with a non-ccmmissioned officer 
and eight gunners, concerning which Captain Glasgow, 
commanding the Royal Artillery, has given the necessary 
orders to the corporal in charge of stores or that corps at 
that port, I am to desire that this arrangement may take 
place as soon as possible, for which purpose I enclose to 
you a cop3^ of the memorandum of guns and carronades, 
which Captain Glasgow with His Excellency's approba- 
tion, has ordered to be transported to York. 

Memorandum of guns, etc. : 

18 pr. carronades, 6 at Kingston. 
12 " " 10 at 

Swivels 2, for the new gun boat. 
Unservicable 18 pr guns, 6 Carleton Island. 
12 " 6 

N. B. — The carronade carriages with the 18 and 12 pd. 
shot at Kingston, to be sent at the same time, and likewise 
the party must bring with them three tents, a camp kettle 
and a month's provisions. George Glasgow, 

Captain commanding the Royal Artillery. 

Toronto, (now York) 6th August, 1793. 

E. B. LiTTLEHALES. 

D7\ Canniff's Aecounts of Carleton Island. 

This author 1 mentions this Island as a military and 
naval station in the American Rebellion, at which Govern- 

(1) History of the Settlement of Uj)per Canada, with 
Special Reference to the Bay of Quinte. By Wm. Canniffy 
M. D. Toronto, 1869. pp. 402. 



MORE ABOUT CARLETON ISLAND. 263 

ment vessels were built for navigating the Lake, and as 

possessing fortifications. 

" This Military Post afforded a retreat for the refugees 
who fled from the Mohawk Valley. Says the Rev. Wm. 
Macauley: 'Jay's Treaty of Peace, as it was called, in 
1783, 1 found Carleton Island occupied b}" the 84th Regi- 
ment, a body of Highlanders levied in the Caroliuas, and 
subsequently adopted into the line. Upon the erection of 
the northern line of the United States, Carleton Island 
came within the boundary of the State of New York; but 
it continued, in common with other military posts, in pos- 
session of the British, until 1796.' Indeed, according to 
the gentleman whose words we have quoted above, it re- 
mained in possession of the British until 1812, when the 
Americans crossed and seized a Sergeant's guard there. 
It would seem that parties entering Canada were required 
to procure a passport here. A copy of one extracted from 
the History of Dundas, is as follows, directed to whom 
concerned : 

" 'Permit the boat going from this to pass to Kingston, 
with their provisions, family clothing, bedding, household 
furniture, and farming utensils, they having cleared out of 
this port, as appears by their names in the margin. (John 
Loucks, two men, two women, three children.) 

[Signed], C. McDonnell, P. 0. 

"Anions: the refugees here durina; the war, was Mr. 
Macauley."^ In 1776 [1786?], Sergeant'^Major [James] Clark 
of the 8th, or King's Own Regiment, was appointed Clerk 
and Naval Storekeeper at Carleton Island, where he re- 
mained until 1790. This was the father of the late Col. 
Clark, of Dalhousie." 

Again, in speaking of the early histor}^ of Kingston, 

Dr. Canniff says:- 

" The Rebellion led to the establishment of a Military 
Post at the Island of Chevreaux, or Goat Island, subse- 

(1) An error, the treaty mentioned having been signed 
in 1794. Perhaps the Treaty of Peace signed in 1783 was 
intended. 

(2) Page 420. 



2eJ^ MORE ABO UT CARLETON ISLAND. 

quently named Carleton Island. This position was found 
more convenient than the site of Fort Frontenac. After 
the defeat of Gen. Burgoyne, at Saratoga, in 1777, there 
were many refugees who souglit protection at the several 
military posts along the northern frontier of New York, 
that of Carleton Island among the rest. Indeed, it is 
probable that to this place a large number escaped, as be- 
ing more safe than Oswego or Niagara. A communication 
was with some regularity kept up between this place and 
Montreal, and also the Fort at Niagara. By the army 
boats, refugees may have passed ta Montreal ; but it would 
seem that a considerable number remained domiciled at 
Carleton Island, eating the food supplied by Government. 
Of course, able-bodied men would be at once enrolled into 
the companies to do military service ; yet there would re- 
main a certain number of males, besides the women, who 
were incapacitated for military life. During the continua- 
tion of the war, there is every reason to believe that indi- 
viduals, perhaps families, would cross to the old fort at 
Cataraqui, to stay for a while, or even take up their abode. 

"It may have been, that their advantages in cultivating 
the cleared land, which did not exist at Carleton Island. 

Again in speaking of this Island (p. 148), he says : 

"During the Revolutionary war, the British built at 
Carleton Island, a few vessels to convey troops and pro- 
visions from that place along the Lake, from Carleton Is- 
land to Niagara. Thi' lirst Commissioner of the Dock-yard 
was Commodore James Andrews, Lieutenant in the Royal 
Navy. The Ontario, a war vessel of considerable impor- 
tance, carrying 22 guns, was built at Carleton Island. This 
vessel was commanded by Capt. Andrews. Sometime be- 
tween 1780 and 1783, as the Ontario was proceeding from 
Niagara to Oswego, with a detachment of the King's Own 
Regiment, commanded by Colonel Burton, with other offi- 
cers, a storm arose at night, and the vessel was lost with 
all on board." 

The reader.will find in the accounts of J. Long, the In- 
dian Trader — of P. Campbell, and of La Rochefoucauld- 
Liancourt, in the foregoing pages, some allusion to Carle- 
ton Island. In Spafford's Gazetteer of New York, (2d Ed. 



MOBE ABOUT CJABLETON ISLAND. 265 

1834), there is a traditional account corresponding with, 
that which we have given, and in Lossing's Field Book of the 
War of 1813, is a description of various relics, coins, etc., 
found there. When surveyed by Mr. Hassler, (first Super- 
intendent of the U. S. Coast Survey), in 1833, there was 
a tract of thirty acres known as the " King's Garden." 

Kingston was described by Surveyor-General Smyth in 
his Topographical Description of Canada (1799), as having 
a barrack for troops, a house for the commanding officer, 
a hospital, several store-houses and an Episcopal Church. 
The ruins of the French works were still seen, as well as 
that of a breast-work thrown up by General Bradstreet, on 
the east side of the town. In its excellent harbor the 
King's shipping on Lake Ontario for the most part win- 
tered, and here the goods and provisions brought up in 
bateaux from Montreal and designed for places further 
west were transferred to vessels, as they had formerly been 
at Carleton Island. 

Carleton Island again became an object of correspon- 
dence, and a place of some prospective importance, under 
the Embargo Act of Congress passed December 33, 1807, as 
will appear from the following correspondence: 

Letter from Augustus Sachet, Collector at Sackets Harbor, 

to Mr. Carticright, August 19, 1808. 

Hon. Richard Cartwright: 

Respected Sir — By the order of the Secretary of War of 
the United States, a small body of troops have been order- 
ed into this District, to be stationed at such place as the 
Commanding Officer and Collector of the Post may direct. 
Acting under the latter capacity, and being informed that 
there was no disposition on the part of the British Govern- 



S66 MORE ABO UT CARLETON ISLAND. 

ment to retain Carleton Island on the River St. Lawrence, 
we have deemed Carleton Island the most proper place to 
be the station for the United States troops, and should be 
happy to have the same given up. If you will be so oblig- 
ing as to have this request laid before the proper authority 
I will esteem it a particular favor. 

I am sincerely your obedient servant, 

Augustus Sacket. 

The above letter was handed to Capt. H. Mackenzie, of 

the 41st Regiment, Commanding at Kingston, who wrote 

to the Military Secretary at Quebec on the 22d of August, 

as follows : 

" I mean to visit Carleton Island to-morrow, and shall 
use every means in my power to persuade and prevent 
these troops from making any rendezvous on that Island. 
His Excellency may rely on my discretion until I receive 
his commands on that head." 

Again in writing Aug. 34, 1808, he says: 

" Since my last I have visited Carleton Island, where I 
was informed that many of the inhabitants on the Ameri- 
can shore had an idea that two armed boats were to rendez- 
vous at that Island for the purpose of preventing their peo- 
ple carrying off the produce of the United States, such as- 
potash, etc. I have taken the liberty of leaving Lieut. 
Chambers, one sergeant and four privates there, to rein- 
force that post which formerly consisted of one corporal 
and three privates of the 41st Regiment, which I hope may 
meet with the approbation of his Excellency, Sir James 
Craig." 

Lieut. Cross, U. S, Artillery, to Major McKenzie, 41st RegH. 

Encampment, Sackets Harbor, August 32, 1808. 
Sir : I have the honor to state, that I am under orders 
to take post with my detachment at such point on this 
frontier as shall enable me best to support the duties and 
laws pertaining to the office of Collector of the Revenue in. 
this District. On consulting with Augustus Sacket, Esq., 
the present Collector, and carefully perusing a map of this 
country, no place appears so eligible as Carleton Island for 
the purport of my orders. It has been stated to me that 



MORE ABO UT CARLETON ISLAND. 267 

Carleton Island is at present occupied by a detachment of 
his Britannic Majesty's troops. If so, I will thank you, 
sir, to point out to me the course to be pursued, and to 
whom I should address mj'self to obtain possession amica- 
bly, and with reciprocal convenience and friendly under- 
standing. Carleton Island being on the south side of the 
south channel of the River St. Lawrence, no doubt can 
arise tha' by the treaty of Paris, of '83, and that of Lon- 
don, of '93, existing between our respective nations, Carle- 
ton Island belongs to the United States. It is not, however, 
intended by me, to discuss as a matter of claim, what I 
presume you. or the proper authority of your country will 
cheerfully concede as to the right — more especially as I 
am mformed by respectable individuals from your side of 
the Ontario, that the few British troops which have re- 
mained on Carleton Island, were merely to take care of 
the works, and barracks. 

I beg you will please to take an early opportunity to in- 
form me if it is practicable to obtain possession of Carleton 
Island without interrupting the germ of harmony that ap- 
pears to be obtaining between Great Britain and the United 
States, and if so, I shall feel obliged if you will please to 
point out to me the appropriate manner of application, and 
to whom I should direct it, 

I am, sir, with wishes for the amnesty of Great Britain, 
and the United States. 

Very respectfully your most obedient servant, 

T. Cross, 

U, S. Artillery Commanding. 

Capt H. Mackenzie to Lieut. Cross : 

Kingston, August 27, 1808, 
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of 
your letter of the 22d inst., in regard to Carleton Island. 

My orders are to obtain that place, which I shall implic- 
itly observe. 

The proper channel of application towards obtaining 
possession of that Island, would I conceive be from your 
Government to Sir James Craig, Captain-General, and 
Commander-in-Chief of British North America, to whom 
as well as to Lieut. -Gov, Gore I have transmitted your let- 
ter on this subject. 



268 MORE ABO UT CABLETON ISLAND. 

I should very much regret any occurrence that might in- 
terrupt the harmony and good understanding which ap- 
pears to be in a fair way of taking place between the Uni- 
ted States and Great Britain. 

I have the honor to be, sir, your most obedient servant, 

H. Mackenzie, 

Lieut, Cross, ) Capt. 41st Reg't. &Maj. Com'd'y. 

&c.,&c., &c. ) 

Lieut. -Gov. Oore to General Craig, K. B. : 

York, 38th August, 1808. 
Sir: Major Mackenzie Commanding at Kingston, hav- 
ing reported to your Excellency the extraordinary request 
made to a private gentleman by the Collector at Sackets 
Harbor, for the occupation of Carleton Island, until your 
Excellency's Instructions can be received. I have only 
directed Major McKenzie to cause it to be communicated 
through the same channel to the Collector, that Carleton 
Island, being in the possession of his Majesty's forces, he 
cannot permit it to be occupied by the armed force of any 
other nation, unless he receives directions to do so. 
I have the honor to be, sir, etc., 

James Gore, 
His Excellency, ) Lieut. -Governor. 

General Sir James Craig, K. B. I 
&c., &c., &c. ) 



INFLUENCE OF THE LAKE UPON THE SEASONS. 

It is well-known that the region on the lee-side of our 
Lakes has its Spring season retarded b}' the cooling in- 
fluence of the water over which the winds pass, and that 
for this reason, fruits come to perfection with more cer- 
tainty there than in places not thus favored. Mr. Darby, 
one of the Boundary Surveyors of 1818, remarks this fact. 
as he observed it in the Spring of that year in descending 
the River from the Lake. He found the early part of May 



THE LAKE AND THE SEASONS. 269 

considerable more forward, below the Thousand Islands 

than above them. 

"From Sackets Harbor to the entrance into the St. Law- 
rence, the shores presented all the desolation of Winter; 
the birch was the only forest-tree that indicated approach- 
ing Spring; but below the Islands, advancing northward, 
an evident change was visible. The sugar-tree, willow, 
birch, and many shrubs were in considerable advance, and 
the fields on the Canadian shore more so than on the New 
York side, from greater exposure to the sun." 

In fact, he was quite charmed with the appearance 
along the North shore, of which, after quoting the descrip- 
tion of the countrj' from Bouchette, he says : 

"The rapid change made upon an uncultivated country 
\)y the introduction of the necessary arts of civilized life, 
never did receive a more striking exemplification than is 
now given by the left shore of the St. Lawrence, below the 
Thousand Islands, as far down as Hamilton (Waddington). 
Fields joining to fields, farm-houses with their most attrac- 
tive decoration, garden, meadows and orchard, smile along 
this truly elegant slope. Villages, with many of the high- 
est^traces of cultivated life, with all the first principles of 
civilization, rise along this once desolate waste. Brock- 
ville, Prescott and Johnstown, are now what were once 
New York and Philadelphia ; what were once Quebec and 
Montreal ; and ranging further back in the lapse of ages, 
what were once Athens, Rome, Paris and London. 

"Many times, when the rising and setting sun spread a 
glow of golden lustre over this attractive picture, have I 
demanded of mj^self. Was this country a gloomj'" forest- 
scene only five and thirty years past? The rich lustre of 
harvest would have answered, that upon this expanse, the 
labor of ages had been expended, but history faithfully 
points to the contrar}'. In 1783, the axe first resounded on 
these shores; and now, in 1818, the world can present but 
few, if an3^ regions of equal extent, where all that can 
allure the eye or gratify the mind, can be found more con- 
densed into one view. Savage life has disappeared for- 
ever, and in its place now stands the residence of the in- 
structed Man." 
17 



AUTUMNAL SCENERY OF THE NORTHERN 
STATES AND OF CANADA. 

We have noticed in the descriptions of several travellers 
in the preceding pages, an allusion to the coloring of the 
forests of this region towards the close of Autumn, form- 
ing, indeed, one of the attractions most likely to fix itself 
in the memory, in the declining season of the year. This 
was most fully given by the German traveller, Dr. Kohl, 
whose account of the Islands will be found on pages 166- 
174 of this volume. We will commence the description 
with his arrival at Kingston, late on a warm, bright, richly- 
colored Autumnal afternoon, when the setting sun pre- 
sented a most imposing appearance. There was still 
enough of daylight left to get a fine view of the City, and 
its suburbs, and he departed by Steamer for Toronto the 
same evening. He describes the passage as one of exqui- 
site beauty, the last glow of twilight shedding a glory over 
the apparently boundless water, which seemed like the 
Sea without limit. As it grew dark, the waters presented 
the novel spectacle af moving lights near the shore, where 
the fishermen were following their business by torch-light ; 
and later in the night, the heavens were lit up by the Au- 
rora Borealis with unusual splendor. 

It may almost be questioned as to whether, amid these 
shifting scenes of novelty, our worthy traveller got time 
for a moment's repose, for his description of the midnight 



AUTUM^^AL COLORS. 271 

Aurora, with its gleaming pencils of light, its corona and 
its dazzling arch, passes directly into the picture of a 
morning on the Lake, that follows: 

' ' But its splendors were far exceeded in beauty by the 
tender tints of the Aurora Om/<f'Y?«'^v that afterwards showed 
themselves on the Eastern horizon, and then filled the 
■whole atmosphere with its light. A delicate mist had risen 
toward sunrise, and the sun had made use of this gauzy 
veil to paint it with the loveliest i ale tints. I do not won- 
der that the taste lor coloring should develop itself in such 
a land of mist, where the palette of Nature is provided 
•with such a variety of finely graduated hues. The eye is 
sharpened to their differences, while in tropical regions, 
where the chief colors appear most strikingly, the senses 
are dazzled. As the sun rose, 1 remarked to my surprise 
that the redness of the morning dawn had not passed from 
the horizon, as it commonly does, but remained hanging as 
a very decided red segment of a circle, and the higher the 
sun rose, the further it stretched, till towards eleven o'clock 
it occupied one-half of the horizon, while the opposite 
side, wiiich was of a light grayish tint, lost ground more 
and more, and at length the sun appeared as a radiant 
focus in the centre of an atmosphere of light, which, with 
few variations, passed into red all round the horizon. I 
saw this remarkable phenomenon here for the first time, 
but afterwards frequently, and learned that it especially 
belonged to the ' Indian Summer, ' and was known under 
the name of 'the pink mist.' '' 

A short time after, our traveller, in passing northward 
from Toronto, on the route to Lake Simcoe, had occasion 
to again revert to the glories of the Autumnal forest, which 
he had already noticed in passing among the Thousand Is- 
lands, His description has no local application, but will 
faithfully represent the impressions of an intelligent ob- 
server in the deciduous forests of any part of the Northern 
States, and of Canada, in the fading season of the year : 

"The trees here still gloried in the rich coloring of their 
leafage, although in Quebec, a fortnight before, the vege- 



272 AUTUMNAL COLORS. 

tation l;ad assumed a bare aud wintry aspect. The elegant 
and much-prized maple was conspicuous among them, as it 
mostly is in Canada, and its leaves exhibited more shades 
and gradations of golden-yellow and crimson than can be 
found in the best furnished color-box. Even when you 
walk on dark cloudy daj's in the forest, the trees shed 
around you such gorgeous colors, that you might imagine 
it was bright sunlight. You seem to be walking in the 
midst of some magic sunset of the declining year. The 
leaves of the maple are too as elegantly cut as they are 
richly adorned with color, and the Canadians pay them the 
same homage as the Irish do their green immortal Sham- 
rock. They are collected, pressed and preserved; ladies 
select the most beautiful to form natural garlands for their 
ball-dresses. You see in Canada tables and other furniture 
inlaid with bouquets and wreaths of varnished Maple 
leaves, and you see an elegant Steamer with the name 
Maple Leaf painted in large letters on the side. Some- 
times the Canadians would ask me, in their glorious woods, 
whether I had ever seen anything like them in Europe, and 
if I answered that, though their woods were especially 
beautiful, I had elsewhere observed red and yellow autumn 
leaves, they would smile and shake their heads, as if they 
meant to say that a stranger could never appreciate the 
beauties of a Canadian forest thus dying in golden flame. 
I have seen a Swiss, born and bred among the Alps, smile 
just as pityingly at the enthusiasm of strangers for their 
mountains, evidently regarding it as a mere momentary 
flare, and that they only could know how to value the 
charms of their native laud. 

' ' The magnificent coloring of these trees strikes you most, 
I think, when the gilding has only just begun, and the 
green, yellow and scarlet tints are mingled with the most 
delicate transitions. Sometimes it seems as if Nature were 
amusing herself with these graceful playthings, for you 
see green trees twisted about with garlands of rich red 
leaves, like wreaths of roses, and then again red trees, 
where the wreaths are green. I followed with delight, too, 
the series of changes, from the most brilliant crimson to 
the darkest claret color, then to a rich brown, which 
passed into the cold pale grey of the winter. It seems to 
me evident that the sun of this climate has some quite 
peculiar power in its beams, and that the faintest tint of 



AUTUMNAL COLORS. 273 

the autumn foliage has a pure intensity of color that 3^ou 
do not see in Europe. Possibly jo\i see the climate and 
character of Canada mirrored in these autumn leaves, and 
it is the rapid and violent transitions of heat and cold that 
produce these vivid contrasts. 

"The frost that sometimes sets in suddenly after a very 
hot day, is said to be one of the chief painters of these 
American woods. When he does but touch the trees they 
immediately blush rosy red. I was warned, therefore, not 
to regard what I saw this year as the ne plus ultra of his 
artistic efforts, since the frost had come this time very 
gradually. The summer heat had lasted unusually long, 
and the drouth had been extraordinary, so that the leaves 
had become gradually dry and withered, instead of being 
suddenly struck by the frost while their sap was still 
abundant, a necessary condition, it appears, for this bril- 
liant coloring. "1 

As if quite unable to tear himself from a subject that 
had so thoroughly awakened his attention, our keenly obser- 
vant traveller, after describing many other scenes of Indian 
and Pioneer life, presented in his northern journey, many 
pages further on, again recurs to his favorite impressions. 
He had been so often interrupted by impertinent inquiries, 
as to who he was — where he was going — on what business 
— where he intended to buy land — and where he meant to 
settle, that he had devised a ready means for getting rid of 
these annoyances — for when he saw one of these inquisit- 

(1) It is more probable that these gaudy tints of the 
maple forests are due to a ripeuin.: process, aualagous to 
that which gives color to many kinds of ripening fruit. 
We find the colors come before frost, and on some branches 
of a tree before others on the same tree, as the leaves happen 
to be more mature, or exposed to the ripening influences of 
autumn. In some years the display is more brilliant than 
in others; particularly where a series of rainy daj^s, or 
period of damp foggy weather, is followed by bright clear 
sunshine, and cold, but not frosty nights.— Ed. 



:?74 AUTUMNAL COLORS. 

ors approaching, he at once began a short biographical 
recitation, stating where born — his origin — what he had 
come for and wliat not, and so fortli, ending with the 
declaration that he did not intend to settle in the country, 
nor to buy land. As soon as everybody knew who and 
what he was, they cared little more about him, and having 
thus cheaply purchased a truce from further inquirj^, he 
could settle down to the calm enjoyment of the scenery 
before him. He saj^s : 

"I would gladly give some idea of its beauty, but it is 
often difficult to convey impressions of this kind, without 
falling into repetitions, which, though often far from un- 
welcome in Nature, where there are alwaj's shades of dif- 
ference, are ver}" apt to be so in books. To me, there was 
a never ending enjoyment in gazing on the coloring of a 
Canadian forest in its autumnal glory, and observing the 
modifications of their colors produced b}" a greater or less 
distance. From the immediate fore-ground to the remotest 
point there was a scale of a hundred degrees. The trees 
near at hand were of a full rose or orange hue, and everj^ 
leaf a piece of glittering gold, and yet ever}' tree had 
something that distinguished it from all the rest, and al- 
though there were only leaves, the colors equaled those of 
a tropical forest in spring, when it is covered with blos- 
soms. Farther on, the colors were melted together 
into one general tint of bright pink, then a 
little blue mingled with it, and there arose several softest 
tones of lilac; sometimes according to the conditions of 
the atmosphere, the distant woods appeared of a deep indi- 
go, and then perhaps would interpose a little island of 
glowing red-gold upon an azure ground, but if jowv eye 
followed the tine of forest to the East, the colors as well as 
the trees shrank together, and a great wood of leafy oak, 
elm and maple would look like a low patch of reddish 
heath." 

The Poet Whittier, in describing an autumnal scene, 
strikingly applicable to this region, although intended for 
another, says: — 



AUTUMNAL COLORS. 27b 

Beneath the westward turning eye 

A thousand wooded islands lie- 
Gems of the waters !— with each hue 

Of brightness set in oceans blue. 

Each bears aloft its tuft of trees 
Touched bj' the pencil of the frost, 

And with the motion of each breeze, 
A moment seen— a moment lost- 
Changing and blent, confused and tossed, 
The brighter with the darker crossed. 

Their thousand tints of beauty glow 

Down in the restless waves below, 
And tremble in the suny skies, 

As if from waving bough to bough 

Flitted the birds of paradise. 

While never tiring in liis admiration of tlie land, with its 
shifting scenes of beauty, and towns and villages with their 
evidences of thrift, our writer alluded to the praises which 
travellers had bestowed upon the Lakes. While express- 
ing his unwillingness to detract anything from their 
aesthetic merits, as he gazed upon the wide expanse of 
Ontario, with its broad flashing diamond surface, border- 
ed with delicate pink and varied by richly-wooded shores 
and mountains, and sprinkled by vessels of all sizes, sailers 
and steamers, which often, when you could not see in the 
water, appeared to be floating in the air — he concludes 
with the ironical remark as if in derision of the utilitarian 
tendencies of America, that all these praises appeared to 
him a little exagerated. 

" If any one could fill up nine-tenths of these Lakes with 
earth, he would, I think, make the country a more valua- 
ble present. Faute de Mieux,'^ I admit these Lakes may be 
considered as useful institutions, but in an economical point 
of view, a Lake is a wide wilderness, a quite superfluously 
broad-road — in fact, a Yevy extravagant arrangement. A 
well-connected sj^stem of Rivers, made on wisely saving 
principles, is really a much more admirable production of 
Nature than a great Cyclopic, rather clumsy series of Lakes, 
like those of the St. Lawrence. 

" If one could keep the Erie and Ontario at their present 

(1) "For want of better." 



276 LAKE ONTABIO. 

depth, and stretch out their apparently boundless expanse 
into good canals of moderate breadth, and turn the land 
on each side into corn-fields * * * j should 
consider it much more worthy of admiration than these 
great awkward basins, which we ought to get rid of, or 
re-model as soon as we can. " 



LAKE ONTARIO : IMPRESSIONS OF TRAVELERS. 

Mr. Eliot Warburton in his ' 'Hochelega, or England in 

the New World," speaks of the Lakes in a way that shows 

that he was not cheerfully impressed : 

"The waters are blue, pure and clear, but they look dead. 
There was a great calm when I was there, and there are no 
tides; the stillness was oppressive; the leaves of the trees 
in some parts of the beach dipped in the water below, mo- 
tionless as the air above. The shores are low and flat on 
this side. The eye wearried, as it followed the long even 
lines in the far- perspective, mingling with those of the sur- 
face of the Lake ; on the other side the broad expanse lay 
like polished lead, backed by the cloudless sky." 

As an evidence that impressions are quite as much de- 
pendent upon the frame of mind of the observer, as the 
nature of the scene observed, we place in contrast with the 
above, a description by Mrs. Anna Jameson, the well- 
known author of "Female Sovereigns," "Characteristics of 
Women," and various legendary and literary works, and 
treatises on the Fine Arts. This lady resided for a time at 
Toronto, where her husband in 1841, held the office of 
Vice Chancellor of Upper Canada. In her highly imagin- 
ative and poetic pictures of scenery, we find the following 
in the book entitled "Winter Studies and Summer Rambles 
in Canada" : 



TORONTO IN 1793. 277 

"This beautiful Lake Ontario! — my Lalce — for I begin to 
be in love with it, and look on it as mine ! — it changed its 
hues every moment, the shades of purple and green fleet- 
ing over it, now dark, low lustrous, now pale, — like a dol- 
phin dying ; or, to use a more exact 'though less poetical 
comparison, dappled, and varying like the back of a mack- 
erel, with every now and then a streak of silver light 
dividing the shades of green; magnificent, tremulous 
clouds came rolling round the horizon; and the little grace- 
ful schooners falling into every beautiful attitude, and 
catching every variety of light and shade, came courtesy- 
ing into the bay; and flights of wild geese, and great black 
loons, were skimming, diving, sporting over the bosom of 
the Lake." 

Still another writer, whose name is lost in oblivion, and 

upon whom the inspiration may never have come but once, 

as he looked out upon the Lake, thus apostrophized : 

"Green are thy waters— green as bottle glass ; 

Behold them stretched thar ! 

Fine museolunges and Osweg-o bass, 

Is often catch 'd thar; 

Onst the red Indian here took his delights, 

Fish'd, fit and bled— 

Now the inhabitants is mostly whites, 

And nary red." 



EARLY NOTICES OF TOWNS UPON LAKE ON- 
TARIO. 

THE BEGINNING AT TORONTO, IN 1793. 

Mr. Joseph Bouchette, Surveyor General of Lower Can- 
ada, in his elaborate topographical and statistical work 
published in 1833, ^ gives the following reminiscence of the 
first survey at Toronto : 

' 'It fell to my lot to make the first survey of York Har- 

(1) British Dominion in North America, or a Typographi- 
cal and Statistical description of the Provinces, Loicer and 
Upper Canada, etc. London; 2 vols,, 4to. 



^•78 TORONTO IN 1793. — 08 WEO IN 171(3. 

bor in 1793. Lieutenant-Governor, the late General Sim- 
coe, who then resided at Navy Hall, Niagara, having 
formed extensive plans for the improvement of the colony, 
had resolved upon laying the foundations of a Provincial 
Capitol. I was at that period in' the naval service of the 
Lakes, and the survey of Toronto (York) Harbor was en- 
trusted by his Excellency to my performance. I still recol- 
lect the untamed aspect which the country exhibited when 
first I entered the beautiful basin, which thus became the 
scene of my early hydrographical operations. Dense and 
trackless forests lined the margin of the Lake, and reflected 
their inverted images in its glassy surface. The wandering 
savage had construe ed his ephemeral habitation beneath 
their luxuriant foliage — the group then consisted of two 
families of Messassagas — and the bay and neighboring 
marshes were hitherto uuinvaded haunts of immense coveys 
of wildfowl; indeed, they were so abundant as in some 
measure to annoy us during the night. In the spring fol- 
lowing, the Lieutenant Governor removed the site of the 
new capital, attended by the Regiment of the Queen's 
Rangers, and commenced at once the realization of his 
favorite project. His Excellency inhabited during the 
summer and through the winter a canvas house, which he 
imported expresslj' for the occasion ; but frail as was its 
substance, it was rendered exceedingly comfortable, and 
soon became as distinguished for the social and urbane 
hospitality of its venei'ated and gracious host, as for the 
peculiarity of its structure." 



OSWEGO, IN EARLY DAYS. 

JOHN BARTRAM. — (1743.) 

We get a glimpse of the Lake and a sketch of Oswego, 
from the writings of John Bartram, a pioneer naturalist, 
living near Philadelphia, who made a journey for scientific 
observation, as far north as Lake Ontario, in 1743 :^ 

(1) Observations on the Inhabitants, Climate, Soil, Rivers, 
Productions, Animals, and other matters worthy of notice, 
made by Mr. John Bartram, in his Travels from Pennsylvor 
nia to Onondaga, Oswego arid Lake Ontario, in Canada, 1751. 



OSWEGO IN ms. S79 

"Oswea;o is an infant settlement, made bj' the Province 
of New York, with the noble view of gaining to the crown 
of Great Britain the command of the five lakes, and the 
dependence of the Indians in their neighborhood, and to 
its subjects the benefit of the trade upon them, and of the 
rivers that empty themselves into them. At present, the 
whole navigation is carried on by the Indians themselves 
in bark canoes, and there are perhaps man}^ reasons for 
desiring it should continue so for some years at least ; but 
a goodEnglishman cannot be without hopes of seeing 
these great lakes become one day accustomed to English 
navigation. It is true, the famous Fall of Niagara is an 
insurmountable bar to all passage b}' water, from the Lake 
Ontario, into the Lake Erie. in such vessels as are proper for 
the secure navigation of either; but, besides that, bark 
canoes are carried on men's shoulder's with ea.se, from one 
to the other, as far as the passage is impracticable. 

"We came to the town about 12 o'clock. The Commis- 
sary invited us to the castle where we dined, together with 
the doctor and clerk. After dinner we had the satisfaction 
of swimming in the Lake Ontario, which is sometimes 
called by the Indians Cadarakin. This is also the name of 
a French fort upon it, almost opposite to Oswego, north. 
It has four bastions built of stone, and is near half a mile 
in circumference. It stands where the waters of this lake 
are already formed into the River St. Lawrence, which 
makes a gxtod road for great barks under the point of 
Cadarakin Ba}'. The famous and unfortunate ]Mr. De la 
Salle had built two barks which remain sunk there to this 
day." 

He speaks of a kind of flux and reflux of the waters 
several times in a quarter of an hour, and observes that the 
waters of the Lake once stood high above their present 
level, the subsidence being attributed either to an absorp- 
tion into the interior of The earth, as conjectured b}' Sir 
Isaac Newton, or else to the wearing away of obstructions 
in the St. Lawrence. 

Earlj' the next morning, after lodging in the Captain's 
chamber in the castle, our traveller walked out to botanize, 
as lie had done the evening before. He says : "I ob- 
served a kitchen garden, and a grave yard to the south- 



S80 OSWEOO IN 1743. 

west of the castle ; which puts me in mind that the neigh- 
borhood of this Lake is esteemed unhealthful. We were 
entertained by one of the traders, with whom we break- 
fasted; and brought of him some dried beef; and a gallon 
of rum we got at the castle. The traders had disposed of 
most of their biscuit, and had packed up their provisions 
to return directly to Albany. However, one of them went 
about to the rest, and collected us a good parcel of biscuit, 
a kindness we were very sensible of. After breakfast, I 
regulated my journal, having a convenient private room to 
do it in. We dined at the castle, and at 3 o'clock set out 
for Onondaga." They got as far as Oswego Falls that 
night, where they slept as well as they could, considering 
that "the Indian squaws got very drunk, and made a sad 
noise till morning. " The same accident had happened to 
their Indian guide, and he himself felt a good deal indis- 
posed. 

Oswego in 1743 was described as follows • 

"On the point formed by ihe entrance of the river, stands 
the fort, or trading castle. It is a strong stone house, in- 
compassed with a stone wall near 20 feet high, and 120 
paces around, built of large squared stones, very curious 
for their softness, I cut my name in it with my knife. 
The town consists of about 70 log houses, of which one- 
half are in a row near the river, the other half opposite 
them. On the other side of a fair were two streets divided 
by a row of posts in the middle, where each Indian has his 
house to lay his goods, and where the traders may traffic 
with them. This is surely an excellent regulation for pre- 
venting the traders from imposing on the Indians, a prac- 
tice they have been formerly too much guilty of. 

' 'The chief officer in command at the castle keeps a good 
look-out to see when the Indians come down the lake with 
their peltry and furs, and sends a canoe to meet them, 



OSWEGO IN 1743. 281 

which conducts them to the castle, to prevent any person 
inticing them to put ashore privately, treating them with 
spirituous liquors, and then taking that opportunity of 
cheating them. This officer seems very careful that all 
quarreling, and even the least misunderstanding, when any 
happens, be quickly made up in an amicable manner, 
since a speedy accommodation can only prevent our coun- 
trymen from incurring the imputation of injustice, and the 
delay of it would produce the disagreeable consequences 
of an Indian's endeavoring to right himself by force. " 

ROBERT HARE. 

In a memorandum of a Tour through a part of North 
America, by Robert Hare, Esq., of Philadelphia, ^ we find 
a notice of this region as seen in the summe.' of 1774, just 
before the Revolutionary war. This writer, in company 
with Mr. William Allen, travelled by stage to New York 
and thence by water to Albany. From thence, through a 
sandy, heavy road and through a dense pine forest, they 
found their way to Schenectady, where the water passage 
was resumed to Oswego. They found Oneida Lake very 
pleasant and stored with an astonishing plenty of fish. The 
Indians living near the lake were firm friends of the 
English, and at Oswego Falls the place was infested by a 
party of beggarly Onondagas, who were very troublesome 
to passengers. They bought of them four large salmon for 
twenty biscuits and a pint of rum, and presented them 
another quart — which secured their civility. At Oswego 
was a fort in ruins, and the remains of another built origin- 

(1) Collections of tlie Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 
i. 363. This writer was an Englishman, and the father of 
the late Robert Hare, a distinguished professor of Chemistry 
in Philadelphia. 



282 08WE00 IN 1774. 

ally by the French, from whom it was taken by the English, 
but retaken and entirely destroyed by them. 

From Oswego they went west, touching at Sodus Bay 
and the "Genesay River," ascending the latter about seven 
miles to view a cataract, the sight of which repaid them 
amply for a painful walk of a mile on the points of broken 
rocks, where they were every moment in fear of rattle- 
snakes which they were told abounded there. The fall is 
described as ' ' situated on the bosom of an immense semi- 
rotund, formed by the breaking of the rock. It is about 
sixty feet high and one hundred in breadth, but," he says, 
"in my opinion, not so striking as the Cohoes, though its 
situation is very pleasing. The river is beautifully adorn- 
ed with verdant trees, " Such was the cascade in Rochester 
city as it existed in the solitude of its primitive wildness. 

After visiting Niagara, these travellers returned down 

the Lake, after waiting several days for the return of the 

8noic\ then apparently the only vessel on the Lake. On 

this they embarked June 21st, and having been becalmed, 

and then opposed by a strong gale, they finally on the 23d 

were brought by a favoring gale to an anchorage just at 

the head of the St. Lawrence. Of this they say: 

"The entrance of this river is thick sown with an infinite 
number of islands, which were in fine verdure and had a 
most pleasing effect. 

"June 24th, the wind favored us about nine in the 
morning, when we set sail and advanced into the river. 
The breeze continued all day and carried us about eighty 
miles. Nothing could exceed the pleasantness of this 
day's passage, through the fineness of the weather and the 
beauty of the prospect. This part of the river is called 
les Mille lies, (the Thousand Islands,) and if I might judge 



OSWEGO IJSr 1784. 288 

from the number I could see, there are not many less. 
What must be the beauty of this prospect when the country 
is cleared and cultivated ! Some of these islands are very 
large, extending from five to ten miles. The soil in general 
appears to be extremely good; some of the islands indeed 
are rocky, but these serve as a foil to the beauty of the 
rest, and have no disagreeable effect. The river is equally 
beautiful, as I am told, from its head to its mouth." 

Oswegatchie was at this time a small post, under the 

command of Captain Foster. Fort Levis, four miles below, 

then called Fort William Henry, had been suffered to fall 

into ruins, since its conquest in 1760, but was noticed as a 

work admirably situated for commanding the river. 

Oswego, as Seen hy John Long, the Indian Trader. 
Of Oswego, about the year 1784, Mr. Long remarks : 

"Fort Oswego, on Lake Ontario, formerly called Lake 
Frontenac, is a good fortification, and capable of contain- 
ing six hundred men. This post is particularly important, 
as it is the key to the United States, and commands the 
opening to the north, Hudson's River, protecting the trade 
with the Indians who live on the banks of the St. Law- 
rence, and the whole .extent of the great sheet of water 
near which it stands, reckoned about eighty leagues in 
length, and in some places from twenty-five to thirty 
broad. " 

In another place he says : "The population of these new 
settlements, and their parallel situation with Fort Oswe- 
gatchie, Carleton Island, Oswego and ISTiagara, evince, 
perhaps, more forcibly than ever, the propriety of retain*- 
ing these barriers in our possession. " All of these places 
were then in the possession of the British, and so remained 
until given up under Jay's Treaty in the summer of 1796. 

Oswego in 1793. 
Late in the fall of 1793, a party consisting of three 
Frenchmen and several boatmen, arrived from the inland 



28 Jf. OSWEGO IN 1793. 

route at Oswego. They consisted of Pierre Pharoux and 
Simon Desjardins, agents sent out to explore and prepare 
for settlement the Castorland Tract in Lewis and Jeffer- 
son counties, and Mark Isambert Brunei, then a young 
man about twenty-two years of age, who afterwards ac- 
quired great eminence as an engineer and inventor, being 
the constructor of the first great Tunnel under the Thames, 
and the successful inventor of many wood-working and 
other machines. He was at this period a political exile 
from France, unknown to fame, but keenly alive to obser- 
vation, and full of expedients to overcome any obstacles 
that might come in his way. The right bank of the river 
was then commanded by a fort that was falling into decay, 
but was still held by a garrison of about forty men, under 
Captain Theodore Schoedde, a Hessian officer, who joined 
to his military functions the duties of local Governor, — col- 
lecting the revenues upon all merchandizes that passed 
either way, or altogether intercepting any goods or com- 
modities that ought not to pass. He was particularly cau- 
tious about allowing any of the Indian trade upon the 
Lakes to pass down by way of the Mohawk to an Ameri- 
can market, lest the channel of trade once begun, should 
wear for itself a passage beyond control. In short, he was 
to guard with vigilance this back-door of Canada, and 
prevent Frenchmen from entering the country under any 
pretext; albeit even this faithful subject of the Crown was 
not wholly free from infirmities, and goods would slip past 
the fort while his back was turned, and his attention en- 
gaged by a keg of rum. 



OSWEGO IN 1793. 285 

The west side of the river was an open waste, then 
wholly uninhabited, with a few old deserted buildings, the 
traces of barracks for troops, and premises that had been 
used in the Indian trade. The timber had been all cut 
away, for a considerable distance around, but further in- 
land the primeval forests stretched over the country till 
broken by the beginnings of settlement along the Upper 
Mohawk, or here and there at remote intervals along the 
route to the Genesee. 

Oswego was then deemed the most dreary and forsaken 
spot under the control of British troops in Canada, and 
desertions were constantly occurring in spite of the utmost 
vigilance of faithful olficers. When once fairly out of 
sight in the woods, the way was clear to any American 
settlement they might have the good luck to reach, and 
when once there their recovery was altogether out of the 
question. 

Anticipating the difficulties that might await them at this 
point, our Frenchman had hired the services of Major De- 
Zeng, then of the Little Falls where he was concerned in 
the lock improvements then under construction in the Mo- 
hawk. They had been overreached so often, since their re- 
cent arrival, that they had come to distrust everybody ; in 
short, they say in their Journal, that finding the whole 
country given to keen bargains at the expense of foreigners, 
they had resolved to entrust the direction of their journey 
to some person who was acquainted with the usages of the 
country, as it would be better to be cheated by one man 

than by everybody. They therefore employed Mr. D — 
18 



g86 OSWEGO IN 1793. 

partly because he was a fellow-countryman of the "Gov- 
ernor" of Oswego, and left all the details to his care. Ac- 
coj'dingly, as they approached Oswego, he left his party at 
the boat, and went alone into the Fort. In a little time he 
returned, and hastily informed them that in order to allay 
suspicions, he had represented the party as consisting of a 
French gentleman If oking for lands that he wished to pur- 
chase south of the St. Lawrence, in the State of New York, 
with his secretary and servant. 

This was not exactly in accordance with their ideas, but 
there was no time to be lost on etiquette, and accordingly 
it was arranged that Pharoux should act the part of "gentle- 
man," Desjardins as "servant" and Brunei as "secretary." 
The Governor had started even with D. ,but his dignity would 
allow no hasty steps in the presence of his troops, and it 
was some moments before this majestic personage arrived. 
He sternly demanded their business, asked them how they 
dared, being Frenchmen, to approach Canada in this man- 
ner, and said he could hardly restrain himself from sending 
them all in irons to Quebec. At length he so far yielded 
to the intercessions of Mr. D. that he consented to allow the 
gentleman and his servant to proceed on their journey, but 
only upon condition that the secretary should remain as a 
hostage for their good behavior and timely return. 

To this Brunei at once consented, but only upon condi- 
tion that he should be lodged in the Fort. This was 
promptly refused — for a Frenchman might do any amount 
of injury if allowed among soldiers. He might go over to 
the west side, and occupy any of the deserted buildings, 
and if in want of anything, by firing a gun, he could call a 



OSWEGO AY 179S. 287 

boat over to supply him — or he might go back to Oswego 
Falls, and there remain with the only family at that place, 
until the return. Brunei did not promise to accept either 
of these alternatives. The Governor having displayed 
himself, strutted slowly back into his Fort, while the trav- 
ellers pitched their tent, and counseled together upon the 
situation. 

A pass was procured for a boat, with two Frenchmen 
and four Americans, and Brunei, intent upon seeing for 
himself the Land of Promise, crept under the tarpaulin. 
The boat was hailed, the pass examined, men counted, and 
being found all right, they proceeded on the voyage. They 
spent a fortnight in explorations, and returned the way 
they came. But it would not do for the hostage to appear 
in their company ; so as the boat came within sight of the 
Fort, Brunei was set on shore with a blanket and some 
provisions, intending to strike diagonally across to Oswego 
Falls, and there await their arrival. Fearing that the land- 
ing would be noticed, the other two Frenchmen continued 
on shore, and when met by an ofiflcer, they assigned as a 
reason, that they had landed to warm themselves by walk- 
ing, as the weather was very cold. 

On coming into the Governor's presence, he at once in- 
formed them that the hostage had deserted the same day 
that they left, and had gone back to Albany. He was 
bound to notice this breach of trust, and must detain them 
as prisoners; but they had no great diflSculty in appeasing 
his resentment with a present of rum, which was duly 
tasted before acceptance. 

As for Brunei, he had scarcely got into t;:e woods, be- 



288 POETICAL DESCRIPTION OF OSWEGO. 

fore he met some people from the Fort in quest of deserters. 
He at once guessed their object, artfully interested himself 
in their business, — doubtless by sending them off in anoth- 
er direction, "where he had a little while before seen some 
men answering to their description, " and without further 
adventure arrived at his destination. But his anxious com- 
panions not finding him at the river bank as expected, set 
out to find him, — got lost in the woods, and finally got 
back half -starved, and almost chilled to death from being 
out without blankets or fire, through a cold, frosty night 
in October. 

Wilsoti's Poetical Description of Oswego. — (1804.) 

In the Autumn of 1804, Alexander Wilson, the illustrious 
Ornithologist, made a pedestrian journey from Philadel- 
phia to Oswego, with two companions, and from thence he 
proceeded by water to Niagara. He published some time 
after a narrative of this expedition in a poem entitled " The 
Foresters," Si work of considerable interest from the facts 
in local history that it contains. In some places it pre- 
sents passages of rare poetic beauty. His description of 
Oswego gives ample proof of his talent at the ludicrous : 

Mark yon bleak hill, where rolling billows break, 

Just where the River joins the spacious Lake. 

High on its brow, deserted and forlorn. 

Its bastions levelled and its buildings torn, 

Stands Fort Oswego, where the winds that blow, 

Howl to the restless surge that groans below ; 

There the lone sentry walked his round, or stood, 

To view the Sea-fowl coursing o'er the flood ; 

'Midst night's deep glooms shrank at the panther's howl, 

And heard a foe in every whooping owl, 

Blest time for soldiers, times, alas not near, 

When foes like these are all they have to fear ; 

When man to man will mutual justice yield, 

And wolves and panthers only stain the field. 



MARMIERS VOYAGE ON THE LAKE. 289 

Those stragg-ling huts that on the left appear, 
Where boats and ships their crowded masts uprear, 
Where fence, or field, or cultured garden green, 
Or blessed plough, or spade were never seen, 
Is Old Oswego ; once renowned in trade. 
Where numerous tribes their annual visits paid, 
From distant wilds, the Beaver's rich retreat. 
For one whole moon they trudged with weary feet , 
Piled their rich furs within the crowded store. 
Replaced their packs and plodded back for more. 
But time and war have banished all their trains, 
And nought but potash, salt and rum remains. 
The boisterous boatman, drunk but twice a day, 
Begs of the landlord : but forgets to pay ; 
Pledges his salt, a cask for every quart, 
Pleased thus for poison with his pay to part. 
From morn to night here noise and riot reign ; 
From night to morn 'tis noise and roar again. 

MARMIEK'S account of KINGSTON, AND THE VOYAGE 
FROM THENCE \0 ROCHESTER. 

' 'The Lake of the Thousand Isles, terminates at the road 
of Kingston. We formerly had a fort at this place, which 
at first bore the Indian name of Cataraqui, and afterwards 
that of one of our Governors — Frontenac. 

"The English, who never do anything by halves, have 
here erected a large citadel mounted with cannon and hold 
it by two regiments. At the foot of this citadel the City of 
Kingston is spread out, including at the present time, some 
fifteen thousand inhabitants. But this is, to say the least, a 
sad city, and seemed to mourn in torpid silence since the 
seat of government has been taken away. It has, in fact, 
but one establishment that interested me, and that was its 
penitentiary ; but notwithstanding my own efforts, and 
those of an obliging Scotchman, to whom I was recom- 
mended, I could not gain admission. A special pass from 
one of the Board of Overseers, is needed to open the iron 
gates, and every one of this Board was absent. 

"After wandering till weary in the wide, deserted streets, 
where we pass without intermediate changes, from immense 
brick buildings to miserable wooden shops, and after pass- 
ing several times by a colossal edifice, which from a dis- 
tance one w^ould take for a palace, iDUt which is only a 
market, I could find no other satisfaction than to rest like 
a tired sea-gull on the river shore, to gaze upon the bay, the 
fortress and Wolfe Island, that lies opposite the town, wait- 
ing for the 'Lady of the Lake,' that was to convey me to 
Rochester. 



^90 MARMIERS VOYAGE OlSr THE LAKE. 

"The good Dame at length came to receive me, but I would 
■wish for the honor of Scotland, and its worthy poet, Wal- 
ter Scott, that they would take off her name, because she 
sings not a ballad, and treats her guests very badly. Her 
only anxiety is to crowd her decks with sacks and boxes 
and barrels of merchandize ; but as for the travellers, who 
might be attracted by the name to step aboard, the accom- 
modations are nothing but mockery. She betrays them by 
giving 'state rooms,' that would serve for ice houses, and 
feeds them with rancid butter and mouldy bread. The 
Canadian boats bear less poetic names, but are more hos- 
pitable. 

"I was obliged from physical discomfort to go out from 
the long gloomy cell which they call the saloon, to warm 
my feet by walking upon deck, where I had at least a long 
opportunity of looking upon the Lake which pours its 
waters into the St. Lawrence. But on one side, I could 
see only the blue line of the New York shore, and on the 
other, an open sea without limit. Fortunately the Lake 
was calm ; but had it been stormy, I would certainly have 
been inwardly moved as in La Manche — which I cannot now 
even think of, without e-motion. 

"After sundry commercial landings, including one of sev- 
eral hours at the nascent and already bold mercantile City 
of Oswego, we entered towards evening the Genesee River, 
which gracefully winds between high parallel and wooded 
banks up to the foot of the mountain, where two thunder- 
ing cascades pour down from the country above. 

"It is only forty years ago that an Englishman passed this 
way, along the then desert banks of the Genesee; but 
would not allow himself to be seduced, as many of his 
countrymen had been, into either the pleasure of admiring 
it, nor the innocent temptation of sketching it in his album, 
or even of singing its charms in a sonnet. He was one of 
the positive kind of men, who would say that these falls 
were not put there for the barren satisfaction of artists and 
of poets, but for the keen operation of speculators; so he 
made him a house to live in, and close by the river bank 
he built a mill. 

"On the spot where this solitary dwelling stood, the long 
wide streets of the city of Rochester now run — one of those 
rising cities which in America spring up like mushrooms 



ACCOUNT OF ROCHESTER. 29t 

in the woods, and grow in a few years like the giant of a 
hundred arms. In 1825, it had but five tliousand inhabi- 
tants ; now, thanks to the Erie canal which here passes, 
and to the neighborhood of Lake Ontario, and the Genesee 
Valley — one of the richest districts in the United States, it 
has grown to have a population of 40,000 souls. ^ 

As for the cascades which the keen Englishman meas- 
ured, they are now used in driving machinery and mill 
wheels ; and the Americans, who figure upon everj-^thing, 
estimate this water power as equal to that of nineteen hun- 
dred machines of a hundred horse-power each — and they 
are not, I assure you, the people to let the least of these 
stand idle. Each cascade has along its sides a double row 
of industrial establishments — every rill of water is turned 
to account, and if, on the line that nature has traced, they 
cannot otherwise master its use, they turn it into the canal. 
There were, indeed, the most primitive of beauties in this 
romantic spot — but this matters not, provided that a respec- 
table company has capital to invest in the opening of a 
sluice, or in the building of an establishment to run by 
water power, and that will every morning turn upon the 
Rochester market so many barrels of flour, or so many 
kilograms of woolen yarn. In short, I see the day ap- 
proaching when the marvelous works of God shall disap- 
pear before the labors of man ; when the world will come 
to loose the last shred of its virgin robe, and when this 
mythological earth of the ancients — the religious earth of 
the middle ages, shall be nothing but a trading world — an 
immense bazaar — and an enormous workshop. 

'•At Rochester I found the Americans just as I had left 
them six weeks ago. Time had changed nothing; and I 
come to believe that they are quite incorrigible. They 
had the same morose features, and were as rude and dirty 
as ever." 



THE NAMES OF IbLANDS. 

In Owen's Chart of 1818, and in the recent elaborate 
Charts published by the Government of the United States, 
many of the Islands are named, and in the following cases 
the names agree, viz: Arabella, Beckwith, Calumet, 

(1) The population of Rochester in 1875 was 81,723. 



292 NAMES OF TEE ISLANDS. 

Carleton, Cedar, Crawford (also, on U. S. Maps called 
Bluff I.); — Francis (also, on U. S. Maps called Hickory I.); 
— Garden, Gates, Hill, Howe, Murray, O'Neill, Packen- 
ham, Picton, Robinsons, Spectacle, Split- Log, Stuart, Tar, 
Wellesley, and Wolfe, (called also Long I. on U. S. Maps, 
and "formerly Grand, or Long /." on Owen's Chart). 

The following list contains the names that differ, on the 
two series of Charts above mentioned. The names are ar- 
ranged alphabetically as given on the United States Charts, 
and the corresponding names on Owen's Charts are in 
parenthesis : 

Bluff (Yeo);— Boss Dick (Yorke) ;— Buck's (Hurd);— Ce- 
dar (John and Bradt) ;— Cherry (Goldbourne) ; — Chimney 
(Bridge) ;— Chub (Combemere) ;— Corn (Broughton) ; — Corn 
(Croker) ;— Deer (Catline) ; — Deer (Owen) ; — Deshler (Barra- 
couta) ; — Douglass (Fitzwilliam) ; — Fleet (Downie) ; — Grape 
(Rose) ; — Grenadier (Barthust) ; — Grindstone (Gore) ; — Hart 
Nancy) ; — Hog (Melville) ; — Hemlock (Canning) ; — Hog 
(Warrenden) ; — Hooper (McMahon) ; — Ironsides (Liver- 
pool); — Juts (Cornelia); — Leek (Thwartway); — Linda (Brit- 
ton's) ;— Little (Hamilton); — McDonald's (Prince Regent); 
— Maple (Cranfield); — Marvins (Porter); — Milton's (Ama- 
zon);— Mink (Fisher);— Mud (Bayfield) ;— Oak (Tecumseth); 
— Pear (Cook); — Pine (Water); — Proctor (Henderson); — 
Pullman's (Somerset, etc.); — Querry (Hope); — Rabbit (Nor- 
ton) — Resort (Green); — Round (Barrows); — Scow (Kate); — 
Shantee (Bloomfield); — Simcoe (Gage; formerly /. au 
FoTet)\ — Sims (Robert); — Sport (Amelia); — Stave (Sir 
James) ;— Steamboat (Flamer) ; — Sugar (Mulcaster) — Sum- 



NAMES OF THE ISLANDS. 293 

merland (Harris) ;— Tent (Peel); — Tidd's (Stone);— Van 
Buren (Sydenham) ; — Wallace (Goodman) ;— Walton (Vidal) ; 
— Washington (Barnard). 

On the Maps of the Boundary Survey, all of the islands 
not named are numbered, and their place in reference to 
the Line is specified. The early maps mention but a few 
of the Islands by name. 

There has been some discussion as to the name Wells or 
Wellesley, as applied to the principal one of the Islands 
upon which Parks have been laid out. As to priority, the 
first of these names, was unquestionably first used and it is 
so known upon Lay's State Map of 1817, which is the ear- 
liest date in which we have found the name used; but since 
it has been oflScially recognized under the name of Welles- 
ley, in the Charts of both Governments, it would appear 
that this latter name should be considered as the proper 
one. We have not met with an account of the particular 
incidents attending the naming of this Island, which was 
propably done during Captain Owen's Survey, at some 
time before 1818, and not unlikely soon after Sir Arthur 
Wellesley, — who had already earned a high reputation by 
his services in India, and in the Peninsular war — achieved 
his crowning honors in the Battle of Waterloo. We may 
well understand how a loyal British officer, as he was map- 
ping this charming region, would improve his opportunity 
for inscribing upon one of its fairest islands the name that 
England was then seeking most to honor in her Roll of 
Fame, and that having christened the Island itself, after 
the Duke of Wellington, he should apply to its bays and 



294 NAMES OF THE ISLANDS. 

head-lands, the names of the battle-fields upon which this 
distinction was achieved. 

The names he thus applied, were as follows : 

Well' sley Island, the name given to whole Island. 

Lake Waterloo, the interior lake, through the eastern part 
of which the National Boundary runs, and sometimes call- 
ed the "Lake of the Islands.'" 

Talavera Head, the headland upon which the Thousand 
Island Park is laid out. 

Buzacoe Head, the adjoining promontory, separated from 
Murray Island by a narrow Strait. 

Arthur Bay, sometimes known as Eel Bay. 

Oporto Head, the Northwestern Point of the Island. 

Salamanca Point, the Cape running into the west end of 
Lake Waterloo. 

Toulouse Point, at the north entrance of the Strait be- 
tween Hill, or Larue Island^ and Wellesley Island, known 
upon Owen's Chart as the "Black Snake Passage," and 
formerly closed by Owen's dam. 

Badajos Head, at the sounh entrance of the above Strait, 
where it enters Lake Waterloo. 

Point Victoria, the lower point of the Island, now owned 
and occupied by the Westminster Park Association. 

By a Proclamation dated July 16, 1792, establishing 
Counties and Townships in Upper Canada, the following 
English names were applied to those formerly known by 
others of French origin, viz : Amherst Island, in place of 
"Tonti"; — Gage I., in place of "He au Foret"; — Hoice I., 
in place of "He au Couchois," and Wolfe I., in place of 
"Grand Isle." 



INDEX 



Ackland, Dr -.180 

Admiralty Charts of St. Law- 
rence 350 

Alarms in 1812 63 

A la Claire Fontaine, 

words of 212 

music of 213 

Albany, Congress of 1759 at.. 33 

Alexandria, named 62 

(in 1826) 144 

Hotels at 20 1 

Algonquin Indians 9 

Allen William 281 

Allouez Father 22 

Alnwick, Indians at 173 

American Light Houses 252 

Amherst, Lord - 18 

" expedition of 38 

" approach of re- 
ported 45 

Ampere, J. J-- -.161 

Antigua captured by De la 

Barre - 25 

Apostrophe to Lake Ontario. 277 

Arabian, steamer 175 

Archives of Dominion Gov't 50 
Armorer sent to Carleton I.. 53 

Argyll, Duke of 205 

Arsenals plundered 85 

Arthur Gov., at Brockviile.. 95 

Asp (vessel) 82 

Aurora Borealis.- 270,271 

Aurora Orientalis 271 

Au Sables, (Sandy Creek) — 18 

Autumnal leafage 170 

" pcenery of the St. 

Lawrence 270 

Backus, Lieut. Colonel -- 83 

Baker, Captain 115 

Baptism at Petit Detroit i05 

Baptists, (see Round Island 

Park) 234 

Barclay Andrew, boundary 

com'r 247 

Barthurst Earl of, letter 

from - 78 



Bartlett's Point, action at. .. 76 

Park at --235 

Bartram John, at Oswego. -.278 
Basin Harbor, General Wilk- 
inson at 75 

Basle, proposed city of - 60 

Bateaux British, captured- . . 71 

described 134 

" freight received by 
at Carleton Island.- 53 

Battle-field, ancient- 10 

Bayfield Charts 251 

Bay of Quinte, Indians set- 
tle on 172 

" Mr. Long at.. 109 

Bay State, (steamer) 256 

Bear-years 123 

Bears. Indian superstitions 

concerning -124 

Beaverton, on site of Castor- 

ville- 60 

Belle-Garde, Priest at La Pre- 
sentation - - - 48 

Belleville. Indians settle near 172 
" Prince of Wales did 

not land at 182 

Belts given at Indian council 37 
Bertrand M., at Fort Levis.- 44 

Bethune, Rev. G. W., 303 

Betton David, Naval officer at 

Carleton Island - 1 10 

Bigsby, J. J., quoted 319 

Bird Miss 175 

Black Lake, Indian paintings 

near - 19 

Black River, expedition by 

way of 53 

Black Ri%"er Limestone 338 

Black Snake, gun-boat cap- 
tured 78 

Blair Frank 303 

Blaney Captain 141 

Bliss Philip P., reference to. .234 

Block houses 146 

" at Ganonoque.- 81 

" on Bridge Isle.. 81 



^96 



INDEX. 



Bluff Island mentioned - 80 

Boat songs 209 

" J. S. Day's remarks 
upon 215 

" verses in English 

concerning 220 

" Tom Moore's 231 

" described by J. M. 

Duncan 136 

Bone- pits, ancient lO 

Bonny castle, Sir R. H-..-87, 205 
Bouchette surveys Toronto 

in 1793 277 

Boundary between Algoquins 

and Iroquois 12 

" as desired by Lt. 

Gov. Simcoe 246 

" lines 245 

Bourlamaque, General at Os- ^ 

wego 36 

Braddock's army, defeat of. 35 
Bradstreet Col.J ohn, destroys 

Fort Frontenac 38 

Brady, Col. proposes a mon- 

ment at Sackets Harbor. 83 
Bridge Island, block house 

on - 88 149 

British Surveys of Lakes250 251 
Brockville as described by 

Lieut. DeRoos-.143 
" Cannon seized at 95 

" Indian Paintings 

near 18 

" noticed by Dr. 

Kohl 168 

" reception of 

Prince of Wales. 182 

rocksat 133 

" settlement ot 143 

Brown, Gen. success of 70 

•' •' at French Creek 76 
Brown's Point Light House.255 

Bruce, Major-General 180 

Brunei, M. I. at Oswego 283 

" in Jefferson Co. 61 6:i 
Brymner D., report on offi- 
cial papers 50 

Buck Island mentioned 13 

Buckingham. James Silk 150 

Burbank, Lieut 70, 71 

Burke's Essay on the Sublime 

and Beautiful 179 

Burlesque of "A la Claire 

Fontaine" ...211 

Burning Forest described... 170 
Burning- of steamer Peel — 87 
Burnt Island Light-House... 255 



Cabet, M., allusion to 160 

Calciferous Sandstone 237 

Caldwell (vessel) 54 

Calumet, Pipe of Peace 

26, 27,28,29,30 

Calypso's Isle, allusion to — 201 
Camp Elisha, pui'chases 

American Islands 55 

Campaign of 1813 69 

Campbell, John P., geological 

remarks 24© 

Campbell, P 112 

Comp-fires seen among the 

Thousand Islands 46 

Canada, autumnal hues in.. 270 
" Seat of Government 

of 96 

Canadian Boat Songs 158,209 

Islands, title of--.-173 

Canal Surveys by Brunei 63 

Canniff, Dr. Account of Carle- 
ton Island by 263 

Cannon captured from Brad- 

dobk- 36 

" seized at Brockville. 95 

Cape Vincent, Militia at 86 

named 62 

Carleton Island mentioned.. 13 
" " captured June 

26, 1812 64 

" Mr Long at.. 108 
" his account of 110 
" P. Campbell 

at 116 

" notice of by 
La Rocefou- 
cauld-Lian- 

court 119 

" claimed as in 

Canada 247 

" Lake Survey 

westward from250 
" as a Lumber- 
ing Station... 258 
'* additional 
facts concern- 
ing 259 

•' evacuated 359 

" cannon re- 
moved from.. 259 
260, 261 . 
" gun carriages 

burned. -.260, 261 
*' Canniff 's ac- 
count of 263 

Caroline Steamer burned 84 

Carleton, Sir Guy 49, 50 



INDEX. 



Carleton, Sir Guy, historic ii 

sketch of 49 

Carthage. Washing-ton Irv- 
ing at 164 

Cartier Jacques 19 

Cartier M. — incident relat- 
ing- to 211 

Cartwright R., letter to 2&5 

Castorland Colony 59 to 62 

Seal 51 

' ' agents at Oswego 283 
Castorville, proposed City of 60 
" named on a Gov- 
ernment Map.- -- 62 

Cataroqui (variously spelled) 

...99,106, 108,109,289 
Cathcarts' Redoubt, Kingston 

Harbor 251 

Caves in Black River Lime- 
stone 238 

Cedar Island, fortification 

upon 1 251 

Cedar Rapids, disastrous pas- 
sage of 44 

Celerons brothers at Fort 

Levis 45 

Cemetery monuments quar- 
ried 237 

Chambers William 154 

Champlain Samuel, 10, 20 169 

Charlevoix Father 99 

11, 13, 19, 25. 
" remarks on changes 

of Lake level .244 

Charlotte (steamer) 137 

Charlotte of Oswego, (vessel) 92 
Charlotte of Toronto, (vessel) 92 
Charts of Lakes, by Mr. Nifif-250 
" of St. Lawrence Engi- 
neers 252 

Chassanis, Pierre, scheme of. 60 

Chaumont Bay named 62 

Chauucey, Commodore fleet 
of before Kingston 

Harbor 67 

" mentioned 76 

Chevelui-e, Point de la 23 

Chimney or Bridge Island- 
block house on 81 

Chimney Island (below Os- 

wegatchie) 40 

Chimney sweep's accounts.. 59 

Chippewa (vessel) 83 

Chippewas, the Mississaguas, 

a branch of 171,172 

Christie, account of Cran- 
berry Creek affair by 73 



Chrysler's Farm, battle of. . . 77 

Cities, rapid growth of 162 

Clark James. 263 

Clark J. V. H., Legend of.... 14 
Hiawatha.as written by 13 
Clarke, Gov., Letter to Gov. 

Simcoe 260 

Clayton, ancient boundary at 13 
" village and town 

named 59 

" gathering of "Pat- 
riots" at 85 

militia at 86 

" at present time 201 

" as a lumbering sta- 
tion 258 

Clunes, James, at .Carleton I. 59 

Colborn, Sir John ...173 

Colborne Island 234 

Collins John, survey by 244 

Colden, cited 11, 13, 26 

Cole Shoal Light House 254 

Coloring of the autumnal 

forest 270 

Colville, (vessel) 115 

Comb George 151 

Communistic ideas, refer- 
ence to 160 

Campagne de New York 61 

Comstock, General C. B., Lake 
surveys under direction 

of 252 

Confiance (vessel) 82 

Confidence-man of the Revo- 
lution 56 

Congress of English Colonies 

at Albany in 1754 33 

Conquest (vessel) 65, 81, 82 

Constable William, land pro- 
prietor 60 

Corlaer, Arendt. name applied 

to English Governors — 29 
Cornelia, former name of 

Clayton 59 

Corner stone of Picquet's 

Mission 35 

Corporators of Thousand Is- 
land Park 230 

of Westmister Park232 
of Round Island P'k234 

Cooper, J. Fennimore 101 

" "Station Island," de- 
scribed by 101 

" History cited 66 

" opinion of affairs be- 
fore Kingston 66 

Cooper, William 165 



298 



INDEX. 



Copenhagen, source of Sandy 

Creek near 18 

Copper of Lake Superior — 129 

Cornwallis, Kinahan 183 

Covington, Gen. L 83 

Cranberry Creek, affair of .. 

70,71,73 

" " Canadian ac- 
count of 73 

Creation of the Human race. 17 
Cremazie, J. O., Mille lies of .325 
Crespel, Father Emanuel — 32 
Cross, Lieut. T., letter from -366 
Cross Lake, Hiawatha resides 

at 16 

Cross-over-Island Light 253 

Crown Point, French Mission 

near 23 

reduced 38 

Currency, rates of 54 

Cuyahoga proposed as a boun- 
dary 346 

Darby, William '33 

Day, Samuel Philips, remarks 
concerning boat song — 215 

Dayan, Rev.J.F 302-229 

De Courcelle. expedition of.. 30 
Dedication of Thousand Isl- 
and Park 231 

Deer Island 49-51 

Deer among th e Islands 1 39 

" chase 146 

Defensive works in Jefferson 

and St. Lawrence Co.'s.. 9 
Dehatkatons (Abram La Fort) 13 
De la Barre. expedition of... 25 

De la Potherie, cited 11-13 

De la Salle 278 

De Meules, cited 25 

De Nonville, expedition of.. 31 

superseded 33 

DePlairne, Penet&Co 56 

DePoillyat Fort Levis 45 

DeRoos, Hon. F. F .142 

Des Androins, M., at Fort 

Levis - - 44 

Descriptions by Travellers... 99 
Desjardins, Simon, agent for 

Castorland-. 61 
" at Oswego.. 284 

De Tocqueville's Democracy 

in America 161 

De Tracy, expedition of 20 

Dickens, Charles -152 

Dimock, Captain 70-72 

Districts, Light-House 252 

Dix, Lieut. Colonel 84 



Dixon, Rev. James 155 

Dickson, Capt Sam'1.70,72,79,80 

Dog wounds an Indian 112 

Dolphin (steamer) 150 

Dominion Light-House sys- 
tem - 354 

Dorchester, Loi'd 119 

Dream of a gift of land 57 

of Sir Wm. Johnson.. 107 

" ofTomGarnet 69 

Drift ridges 241 

Drift formation 239 

Duck Island - 168 

Duke of Argyll, description 

by 205 

Duke of Gloucester, (vessel) 

....64,65,66,81,82 
" Rochefoucauld, Lian- 

court 117 

Duncan, John M 134 

Dundas, Rt.Hon. H., map sent 

to 247 

Durham boats described 134 

Dykes in trap rock 236 

Eagle Band of Chippeways--172; 
Earl of Moira, (vessel). .64, 65, 

66,73,81,83 

Earthworks in Jefferson and 

St. Lawrence Co.'s 9-10- 

Eden, Cremazie's poetic allu- 
sion to 326. 

Eel Bay, glacial action shown 

at 340 

Elizabeth Township, camp 

ground in 335. 

Ellisburgh, Sandy Creek in.. IS' 
Embargo, smuggling in time 

of 59. 

" Carleton Island, in 

connection with. 265 

Embryology of cities 162. 

Engineers of War Depart- 
ment surveys by 251 

Englehurst, Mr -181 

Entick cited 37 

Escoui't, Lt. Col. J. B. B 249 

Etcat-a-ra-ga-re-ne 18 

European discovery and ex- 
plorations 19 

Fair American, (vessel) 83 

Fallen Fort 13 

Fenelon, Father, in Canada-203 

Ferguson, Adam 146 

Fete Champetre on an Island 

in the St. Lawrence 248 

Fishing by torch-light 270 

Five Nations of Indians 10 



INDEX. 



299 



Five Nations mentioned in 
De la Barre's in- 
terview 26 

Flags, Indians painted on 47 

Floods, not felt in the St. 

Lawrence 244 

Ford Augustus, story of Tom 

Garnet as related by 67 

Ford Nathan, settles at Og- 

densburgh 49 

Forests, autumnal coloring of 270 
Forsyth Capt , expedition of 

to Ganonoque 65 

Fort "Blunder" 248 

Fort Covington, American 

Army at 77 

Fort DuQuesne ..- 35 

Fort Frederick, Kingston 

Harbor 251 

Fort Frontenac. founded — 23 
" destroyed... 38 

Fort Haldimand on Carleton 

Island 57 

Fort Henry, Kingston ...145, 351 

" court martial at. 94 

Fort Hunter,Rev.J.Stuart at 120 

Fortifications, Indian 9 

Fort Levis 18, 41, 46, 47, 105 

Fort Montgomery 248 

Fort Ontario surrendered to 

the French 36 

Fort on Carleton Island 49 

Fort Pepperell evacuated... 36 
Fort Stanwix, attempt to 

reach 108. 

'■ Expedition from 52 

Fort William Augustus 44 

Fox (armed boat) 70 

Francis' Metalic Life Boats. -257 

Fraser Thomas, notice of 113 

Freight, cost to Carleton I. 53 
French operations on Lake 

Ontario 32 

" Revolution, scheme of 

emigration at time of 60 
" origin of Popular 

Songs in Canada 210 

French boundaries claimed. 245 

" vessel captured 41 

French Creek, Indian bound- 
ary at 12. 13 

" " named 56, 59 

French Mills, American 

army at 77 

French, Major 73 

Frigates built in England for 

lakes 78 



Frigates rotting at Kingston 147 

Frontenac, Count de 22 

" " second ex- 32 

" pedition of 

in 1696 32 

■' gives an 

Island to an Indian 100 

Frontenac, Fort, founded... 23 
" " strengthened 35 

" " noticed by 

Liancourt 119 

Frontenac, (steamer) -..237, 256 
Frontier,St.Lawrence,inl812 63 
Frost, agency of in coloring 

leaves 273 

Frost, Capt 13 

Fur Trade at Oswego 280 

Gagnon,Ernst,Popular Songs 

edited by 210 

Galloo Island Light-House.. 254 
Gallop Island, site of a • 

church on 40 

Game among the Islands 111 

Gananoque 34 

'■ expedition to 65 

" block-house at... 81 
" proposed attack of 85 
" noticed by Lieut. 

Hall 133 

in 1826 145 

in 1831 147 

" Indians near 173 

" sandstone at — 337 
" Narrow's Light- 
House 254 

Garangula, the Onondaga or- 
ator 36 

" speech of De la 

Barre 28 

Garden Island as a Lumber- 
ing Station 258 

Garneau. cited 37 

Garnet, Tom., story of 67 

General Pike (vessel) 83 

General Wolfe (vessel) 82 

Genesee Falls 283 

" River proposed as a 290 

boundary 246 

Geology Thousand Islands.. 236 
Gilbert, M. W. privateering 

enterprise of 70 

Glacial action, traces of .239, 240 
Glasgow, Capt. George.. 260, 261 

Gore, Lieut. Gov 268 

Gottenburgh, reference to... 240 

Gov. Tompkins (vessel) 66 

Goose Bay, affair of 73, 74 



300 



INDEX. 



Grand Island 180 

Grand Sable, Legend of Hia- 
watha, located near 17 

Granite quarries 237 

Grant, President, at Thous- 
and Islands -..303 

Grape Island, Indians settle 

on 172 

Green, Capt. Seymour, Mili- 
tia under 56 

Greenstone dykes in trap 

rock 236 

Gregory, Lieut. Francis H. 
enterprise 

of 79 

" " notice of.- 75 

" *' destroys a 

vessel at Presque Isle — 81 
Grenadier Island (in the Lake; 

Gen. Wilkinson at. 75 

Grenadier I. (above Brockville) 

Light-House at 24, 25, 41 

Grey, Capt 181 

Grindstone Island 180 

" " war of 55 

Growler (vessel) --.81, 82 

G. S. Weeks (schooner) seized 

94, 95 

Haldimand Papers 51 

Hall, Lieut. Francis ....132 

Hamilton (vessel) 81, 82 

Hannah, Dr 178 

Happy Islands comparison 

with 141 

Hardenburgh, Lieut. G. sur- 
prise of Oswegatchie 52 

Hare, Robert, at Oswego; de- 
scribes Thousand Islands281 

Harris, Wm. Tell 130 

Hawkins, Lieut 77 

Hawkins, Samuel, Agent in 

Boundary Survey 248 

Henderson, French post at.. . 36 

Hennepin, Louis 22 

Herald, N.T. Correspondence 

of.-- 202 

Heriot, George 131 

Hero (vessel) 211 

Hiawatha, Legend of - 13 

Hickory Island 85, 86, 87 

High Falls on Black River.. .164 

Highlander (steamer) 153 

Highlanders at Carleton Is- 
land 263 

Hinds, Frank A., engineer.. 

230-233 

Hoffman, Mr 165 



Hoffman., Miss Ann 166 

Hogan, J. S., Prize Essay by. 176 
Hogel, Mr , sent to Carleton 

Island 53 

Holland, Dr. J. G 205 

Howe's Island 180 

Howson, John -138 

Hubbard. Capt. Abner, cap- 
tures Carleton Island — 64 

Human Race, origin of 18 

Humphrey's Life of General 

Putnam,noticed 42 

Hunter Lodges 84 

Hydrographical and Topo- 
graphical Surveys 250 

He in Chevreaux 49 

He in Chevreuils 33 

He Royale 39, 42 

Indian History 9 

Indian Paintings on Rocks 19 
Indian Trade, efforts to mo- 
nopolize 33 

Indian Love Song Ill 

" wounded by a dog. -.112 
trade at Oswego . -279, 280 

Summer 371 

Indians, origin of Race 18 

" superstition concern- 
ing bears 134 

Indians among the Thousand 

Islands 137 

Indians assist in building 

Church 130 

Indians among the Islands . . 179 
Inqisitiveness of Strangers.. 313 
International Camp-Ground 235 
" character of 

th e Island Parks 233 

Iron Mines in Jefferson Co. 

238-239 

Iroquois Indians 9, 10 

•' Legend of League — 14 
" avenging inroad by. 31 
" Indians at Toniata..lOO 

Irving, Washington 164 

Island Packet (vessel) burned 64 

Island Parks 204 

Islands, Canadian title of 173 

Islands in St. Lawrence, Sim- 
coe desires to include in 

Canada -246, 347 

Islands, Title of effected by 

Boundary Survey 349 

Islands, names of 291 to 294 

Jack-Straw Light-House 254 

James, Capt. A. B., cannon «4 
consigned to 95 



INDEX, 



301 



James (Serg-eant) 71 

Jameson, Mrs., impressions 

of the Lake -276 

Jay's Treaty ..49, 246, 262 

Jefferson Co., Indian traces 

in 9 

Jefferson Co,, Castorlaud 

company in.. 60 
" *' Mineral locali- 
ties in .237 

Jefferson (vessel) 82 

Jeffreys, Thomas, cited 100 

Jobson, Rev. F. J 177 

Johnson, Major.. 84 

Johnson, Sir John, residence 

of 115 

Johnson, Sir William, dream 

of ....107 

Johnston, Wm 87, 91 

" " burns the Sir 

Robert Peel.- 87 

" search for 89 

*' arrested.. 90 

" pardoned 91 

" keeper of a Light- 
House 91 

Johnstown, notice of 91 

(Canada) settle- 
ment of.. 269 

Julia Island (near Sicily) 163 

Julia (vessel) affair of 64, 65 

" mentioned 65 

66, 67, 81, 82. 

Kaihahage, location of 26 

'Kate Johnston' 89,91 

King, Preston.. 203 

King's birth-day at Carleton 

Island 52, 53 

Kingston, capture proposed. 9 
70 

•' alarm at 85,86 

" the Seat of Govern- 
ment 96 

" as describeed by P. 

Campbell 115 

" as seen bj' Lian- 

court.. 119 

" as described by 

Weld 125 

" not visited by 

Prince of Wales. ..181 
" impression of a 

Boat Song heard at 220 
" Harbor, engage- 
ment in. 66 

*' Military Surveys 

around 251 



Kingston, Military School at. 251 
examined as a Mili- 
tary Station 259 

" (steamer) 181 

Knapp's Point Light-House. 255 

Knox cited. ...- 39 

4147 
Kohl, J. G. bear-years notic- 
ed by - 123 

" describes the Is- 
lands 166 

" describes the lake275 
" description of 

autumnal scenery270 

Lachine, Indians attack 31 

" Rapids 121 

Lady Dalhousie (steamer). -.145 
Lady of the Lake (steamer) -289 
(vessel) 82 83 
La Famine, De la Barre at.. 36 
La Force, French naval offi- 
cer --- 46 

La Fort, Abram 13 

LaGalette 99, 125 

La Gard at La Presentation-. 34 

LaHontan cited-- 11, 13, 26 

Lake Champlain, bovmdaries 

claimed on -.245 

Fort on 248 

Lake Erie, surveys by Mr. 

Niff 250 

Lake Frontenac, Ontario is so 

called 283 

Lake Nipessing, boundary 

run to 245 

Lake Ontario first visited by 

Champlain 20 

" early accounts of 

towns near 277 

" impressions of 

by travellers 276 

" military and na- 

val preparations 

on 69,78 

" surveys by Mr. 

Niff....250-U.S.251 
" apostrophe to--.277 

Lake of the Dismal Swamp, 
Moore's poem on, 

refei'ence to 221 

Lake Ridges -241 

Lake Simcoe, Lake Ridges of .242 
Lake Superior, Legend of Hi- 

awatha,located near 17 
" bears in region of. .123 
Lakes, Dr. Kohl's economical 

view of 275 



INDEX. 



Lakes, in primary region 238 

Landon, Capt., capture of... 80 

La Presentation- 33 

" a rendezvous 
for Indian par- 
ties 34 

" abandoned--- 48 

Lareau, Mr., opinion'of Cre- 

mazie's style 225 

La Kochef oucauld-LiancourtllT 
" at Kingston. -118 

'• notice of Cai'- 

leton Island 

by --119 

La Salle, explorations of — 2t2 

Lauren tian rocks 236, 239 

Lead Mines, KOssie- -237 

League of the Iroquois, le- 
gend of — 14 

Legend of the League of Hia- 
watha-.- - 13 

LeMain.Mons 26, 30 

Le Moine, Father Simon - 20 

LeRay, Alexander-- -144 

LeRay de Chauraont, notice of 62 
" names of 

family of- 62 
" applied to 

places 62 

LeRay, town named 62 

Letters-of-Marque granted on 

Lake Ontario- -.. 70 

Level of Lake Ridges 242 

Levis, Chevelier de 40, 44 

Lewis Co. , Castorland partly 

in 60 

Lewis, George 153 

Life Saving Stations 257 

Light Houses.. -.174, 252, 253, 254 

Limestone 238 

Limnaide, (ship) 54 

Lindoe Island Light-House. .254 

Little Round Island -.234 

Loch Awe, allusion to --206 

Loch Lomond, allusion to,131,206 
London Times, correspond- 
ent --181 

Long, John -107 

" account of Oswego by. 283 
" Falls, on Black River.. 164 
Longfellow's version of Hia- 
watha 13,14, 17 

Loons captured by Fronte- 

nac - 24, 173, 174 

Lorimier, V. F., builds a mill 

at Oswegatchie 48 

Loring, Captain 39, 41, 42, 42 



Lossing, Benson J 179 

" account of expedition 

to Gananoque by 65 

Field-Book (1812) cited 66 

Love Song. Indian - Ill 

Lowville, Washington Irving 

at.--- - 164 

Loyalists settle in Canada 63 

Lumbering upon the St. Law- 
rence 257 

Lycurgus, laws given by 16 

Lyell, Prof. Charles, geologi- 
cal observations by 240 

Lyon, Caleb, of Lyonsdale...224 

Lyi'ics, Tom Moore's -221 

Macauley, Mr 263 

McClellan, Lieut, at Oswe- 
gatchie 52 

McDonnell, Wm., storekeeper. 54 
McDonnell's wharf, Sir Rob- 
ert Peel burned at-- 87 

Macgregor John 147 

McKay William, noticed 115 

McKenzie,Maj. H. .letter from 267 
McLean, Neil, Assistant Com. 

General at Carleton Isl. - - 54 
Macomb,Gen.,at Sackets Har- 
bor --- 89 

Macomb's Purchase noticed. 60 
" Islands not includ- 

edin- - - 55 

Macpherson, Capt. R.R., action 

at Bartlett's Point 76 

Madison (vessel) 82 

Maitland, French ship-j^ard 

near 39 

Malon. Mrs H., translation of 

a boat soug by 219 

Mammoth, tusk of 19 

Manatoana, fictitious name of 

Islands - 203 

Mann, Capt., sent to examine 

Carleton Island 2.59 

Mante Thomas cited 34, 41 

Map of Fort Levis by Mante . 

(see frontispiece) 40 

" by Mr. IJnwin 173 

Maple Leaf (steamer) 175 

Maple leaves, coloring 270 

Marcou, Father 161 

Marmier, Xavier 157, 211, 215 

" voyages on Lake On- 
tario - 289 

Marselis, Arent, an early sur- 
veyor 13 

Martin Capt 73 

Massacre, year of the 39 



INDEX. 



Massey, Lieut. Col 43 

Menard, Father 33 

Mercer Colonel, surrenders Os- 

weg-o 37 

Methodist Camp Ground 3;^ 

Park -.304 

Miami River proposed as a 

boundary 340 

Migration of squirrels and of 

bears 133 

Military Class-Right located 

on Carleton Island r>4 

' ' school at Kingston . . .351 
" surveys around Kings- 
ton 351 

Militia, New York, at Clayton 

and Cape Vincent.- 86 

Mille lies named 30 

of Cremazie----335. 328 

Mills, Lieut. Col- 84 

Milnes, Capt - ---73. 74 

Mineral localities- - 335, 337 

Ministry of Agriculture and 

Statistics .50 

Missisaguat vessel) — 111,36 ', 361 
Missiesaguas, owners of Isl- 
ands 171 

account of 173 

Mission Indian at Oswegatchie33 
on Grape lsland-173 

Missionaries, French 31 

Mohawk (vessel) -39, 43, .54, 83 110 

Mohawks, expeditions against 30 

" attack the Mission at 

Oswegatchie .33 

Montcalm.General,at Oswego. .36 
Montreal, Indian descent upon3l 
" capture proposed. 69, 75 
'• Seat of Government 

at 96 

Montserat captured by De la 

Barre 35 

Monument proposed at Sack- 

ets Harbor — 83 

Moore, Thomas, letter to his 

mother by 333 

" Boat Song 233 

Morristown, Indian paintings 

near 19 

" International 

Camp Ground 

near 235 

Murney's Redoubt, Kingston 

Harbor.- .- 3.51 

Mythological origin of the hu- 
man race 17 

Name of St. Lawrence 19 



Names of Islands 291 

Narrow8,geological notice of.240 
Naval enterprise upon Lake 

Ontario in 1814- -77 

" forces in 1813 81 

" " 1813 81,82 

" station at Carleton Isl- 
and 83,110 

" stores destroyed at 

Sackets Harbor 70 

Navigation in 1673 23 

described by Roger. 131 

Neptune (armed boat) 70 

Newcastle, Duke of -.180 

New Orleans (vessel) 83 

New York Herald, corres- 
pondent 181 

" (Steamer).- 256 

Niagara fortified 32 

" reduced 38 

" Light House at 254 

P. Campbell at. 117 

(in 1874) 283 

" River,squirrels cross 124 

Nicholson, Capt. Joseph 84 

NiflF, Mr., topographical sur- 
veys by - - 250 

Number of Canadian I8lands.l73 
Oaths of allegiance, taken at 

Carleton Island 53 

Ocean, former level of 242 

Ogden, Miss Eliza -166 

John C.-- - 129 

" Samuel, proprietor of 

Ogdensburgh 49 

Ogdensburgh settled 49 

war of 1812 64 

" M. Ampere at. -161 

" Irving at- -.164, 166 

' " noticed by Dr. 

Kohl--- 168 

Light House. -.253 
Ohio River, French aggres- 
sions on the -- 33 

" Fceneryof the ..137 

Ohquasse, name of M. Le 

Main 26 

Oneida (first steamer) 255 

(steamer) 88 

" Lake, army seen pass- 
ing — 46 

" in 1773 37 

" (vessel)--- 66,82 

Oueidas, Penefs operations 

among the 57 

" sent on an expedi- 
tion 52 



INDEX. 



Onnondakoui (Grananoque)-. 24 

Onondaga (vessel) 39,43, 110 

Onoiidagas, part of, removed 

to Oswegatchie 33 

Ontario (vessel) 81, 82 

and St. Lawrence 

Steamboat Co 257 

Oraconenton Isle -.18, 39, 44 

Orangemen on the Prince of 

Wales' journey-.- 181 

Order-book relatinjr to Carle- 
ton Island - 52 

Organic remains- - - -237, 238 

Origin of the human race 17 

Ossahinta (Capt. Frost)-. 13 

Oswegatchle, Indian mission 

at 33,34 

" post at, surren- 
dered --- 35 

" Lord Amherst 

at - 41 

" under the Eng- 
lish 48 

" attempt to sur- 
prise --- 52 

" Mr Long's ac- 
count of 109 

" described by 

Mr. Weld 125 

Oswego, Indian name and its 

meaning 15 

fortified 32,3:3 

" as seen by John Bar- 
tram 274 

" capture of in 17.56--- 36 

" Lord Amherst at-38, 45 

Mr. Long at- ---108, 283 

In 1793- -- V83 

'' Oswego described by 

Mr. Weld ....r?5 

Falls in 1743 27 

" '^ " 1774 -.281 

Ottawa, seat of Government 

at - 96 

Otondiata — - 24 

Outaouaise (vessel) 46 

Owen, Capt. W. F. W., sur- 
veys the River -250 

Painting in two colors 45 

Paintings on rocks on St. Law- 
rence - 19 

Palisades, glacial action seen 

at -- - 240 

Paris, Canadian songs in 211 

Parks and encampments 229 

'• Herald's account of 204 

Pass,given atCarleton Island,283 



Passage, price of on lake 139 

Passe a I'Oues, Wisconsin — 124 

"Patriot" War 84 to 96 

Patriots,guard to prevent sur- 
prise by - 158 

Pearson's Island - .234 

Penet,impostures of — 56, 57, 58 

Penet's Square, history of — 56 

trust deed of. 62 

Pennington, Lieut 43 

Perrot, Governor. - - 22 

Perry, Lieut- 70, 71 

Pert, (vessel) - 81, 82 

Petit Detroit, ceremony at. -.105 

Petite Jeanneton— words 216 

" " music 317 

Pharoux.Pierre, agent of Cas- 

torland 61 

" at Oswego... 284 

Phillips, Lieut 42 

Picquet, Abbe- 44 

described by Mante. 34 

by LaLande 34 

Pictured Rocks, legend of 
Hiawatha located near.. 17 

Pigeons, flights of 123 

Pike, Gen. Z. M 84 

killed 70 

Pike (vessel) 82 

Pilots taken at Fort Levis... 48 

Pimitiscotyan Landing 106 

Pinckney, source of Sandy 

Creek in 18 

Pink mist, of Indian summer371 
Pipe, an itinerary measure.. ^21 
Plan of Government for 

Oneidas 57 

" of Union 33 

Point auBaril 39, 105 

" " English army at 46 

Point Peninsula. Montcalm 

at 36 

" " speculative 

city at... 63 

Point Vittoria 333 

Porter, Peter B., Boundary 

Commissioner 247 

Porter, Capt 360,261 

Potsdam sandstone 237, 339 

Pottery, ancient 10 

Pouchot, Indian tradition as 

given by 17 

" mal-administration 

recorded by 37 

" commands at Fort 

Levis...43, 44,45,47, 105 
Presbyterian Park 304, 332 



INDEX. 



'$05 



Prescott. settlement of 269 

" descent upon 93 

Presque Isle, proposed as a 

boundary 246 

Preston T. R. account of 

Hickory Island bj'-- 87 

Prince Edward Peninsula — 168 

Prince of Wales' tour 100 

" incident of a 

Boat Song-- — 211 

Prince Regent (vessel) 66, 81, 82 
Privateering' on the St. Law- 
rence — 70 

Prize money paid for Gun- 
boat Black Snake 80 

Prospect Park 235 

Province of Quebec, bounds 

of ---.244 

Psyche frigate, brought in 

frame from England 147 

Pullman, Geo. W 203 

Putnam, Lieut.-Col. Israel-- 42 

Pyrola - 174 

Quaker, an Indian so-called -100 
Quarries among Thousand 

Islands 237 

Quebec, reduced 38 

" bounds of province 

of 245 

Queen's Ranges at Toronto .277 
Rapids, mode of ascending. .132 
Rathery, M. opinion cited-.. 211 

Raven, (vessel) 82 

Red-Horse Light-House 255 

Refugees at Carleton Island- 53 

Renfrew, Baron --- 180 

Richardson, Wm. locates a 
class-right on Carleton 

Island 54 

Rideau Canal 148 

Rochester Falls described by 

R. Hare 282 

" " alluded to by 

Marmier - 270 

Rock Island Light -..91,253 

Roger, Charles, description 

by - 113 

" account of Cranber- 
ry Creek.- 73 

Rossie lead mines - 3s7 

Round Island Park - 234 

Rouse's Point, boundary at - 248 
Royal George, (vessel) -.66, 81. 82 
Royal Highland Emigrants 

at Carleton Island 53 

Rutland, Indian antiquities 
in town of 10 



Saeket, Augustus 265 

Sackets Harbor, battle of... 70 
" " proposed 

monument at 83 

Saft)' of steam navigation.. .257 
Saguenay, scenery of the — V 

St. Croix, bears in 124 

St. Francis Indians, a rem- 
nant of the Algonquins.- 12 

Sj Germalns, Earl of 180 

St. Lawrence Central Camp- 
ground 235 

" Co., Indian an- 
tiquities In 9 

minerals ln.235, 237 
Frontier, in 1812 62 
" River named--- 19 

" privateering on 

the 70 

depth of 343 

" importance of 

commerce on -.168 
St. Regis, part of Oswe- 
gatchies remove 

to 34 

" Indians claim Isl- 
ands 55 

'* church at 129 

" boundary at 245 

San Domingo, Penet's impos- 
tures at 58 

Sandstone quarries 237 

Sandy Creek, Indian tradi- 
tion concerning 18 

Sauthier, Claude Joseph, sur- 
veys by.- 245 

Saxe- Weimar, Duke of 144 

Scalp found on Gallop Island 40 

Scalp Point - 23 

Scanouton, a kind of deer... 24 
SchcBdde, Capt. Theodore. ...284 
Schoolcraft's connection 
with legend of Hiawa- 
tha. 13, 14 

Schools, Indian 172 

Scott, Lieut 73, 74 

Seal of Castorland 61 

Search for Johnston's party. 89 
Seasons, influence of the 

Lake upon - 268 

Seat of Government of Can- 
ada -.- 96 

Seneca Lake — 107 

" " (vessel) 54 

66, 81, 82, 125, 259. 
Settlement on St. Lawrence 
in 1812 82, 63 



INDEX. 



Seward, Gov. Wm. H 203 

Ship-building- at Kingston -..128 
Simcoe, Lieut.-Gov., policy 

of-. 119 

letter to 
Gov. 
Clarke.. 260 
" " establ- 

ishes To- 
ronto -.-278 
" " bounda- 

ries al- 
lowed bv 246 

" (vessel) -.66,81,82 

" papers -- 51 

Sinclair, LieJt 43 

Sir Robert Peel, steamer 

burned - 87 

Sister Island's Lisht-house.-253 
Six-town Point, fYeneh Post 

on 36 

Skulls found on the Islands. Hi 
Slave Song-s, of the South 

comparison with 209 

Smith, Albert -- V49 

Smuggling-, former notoriety 
of French Creek 

for 59 

" facilities for 136 

Song of Hiawatha.referred to 14 

Songs, popular 209 

impressions, Marmier 158 

Sophia, ( .essel), burned 64 

Soundings, false alarm on 

account of 116 

Sparham, Thos., assist, bar- 
rack master 54 

Spectacle Shoal Light- 
House.-- 255 

Spencer, Capt. A 84 

Spitfire (gunboat) 71 

Split Rock on Lake Cham- 
plain, ancient boundary 

on ---- -- 12 

Squirrel-years 122 

Squirrels' mode of crossing 

rivers 125 

"Station Island," of Cooper. 101 
Steamers,former importance 

of -.- -- 257 

Steam navigation upon the 

St. Lawrence 255 

Stephenson, T. B., song by 

referred to--- -.232 

Stone implements, ancient.. 10 
Storm on Lake Ontario, 
Campbell's account of---116 



Straits of Malacca, compari- 
son 150 

Stuart, Rev. John -.115, 120 

Subterranean movements. -.243 
Suicide of one of Peuet's 

victims 59 

Sunken Rock Light-House.. 253 

Snnseton the Lake 270 

Superstitions, Indian, con- 
cerning bears 124 

Superior, (vessel).- 82 

Survey of lakes 250 

Swiss scenerj', reference to -- 163 

Sydenham, Lord--- 96 

Sylph, (vessel) - 82 

Talavara Head 230 

Taylor, Gen. Dick 203 

Taylor, G. L 200 

' geological article by. 239 

Te-can-on-on-a-ro-ne-si 18 

Teesdale, Major 180 

Temperance reflection.- 117 

Temple of Dirt -..165 

Theresa named.- 62 

Ticonderoga reduced 38 

Thousand Island Park-- -204, 229 
Tibbett's Point Light House. 253 

Tides in Lake 244 

Tillier,Rodolph, agent of Cas- 

torland -... 62 

Timber thieves 202 

Title of Canadian Islands 172 

Title to Carl eton Island 54 

" " other American Isl- 
ands 55 

Toniata, Island, -24,99,100 

Indians abandon... 46 

Topographical surveys ?50 

Torch-light, fishing by 270 

Toronto, seat of governm'tat 96 
" Prof. Lyell's geologi- 
cal studies near 241 

" beginning at.- 277 

" cannon removed 

to 260, 261 

Traditions of Indian wai-s.lO, 12 
Transportation to Carleton 

Island 53 

Trap-dykes in gneiss rock ...236 

Treaty of G hent - - v47 , 249 

Trench enclosures, ancient.- 9 

Trenton Limestone 238 

Tudor, Henry 148 

Tuttle, Colonel - 84 

Ulysses, allusion to 201 

Uniform of naval oflBcers in 
1796 110 



INDEX. 



307 



U. E. Loyalists 108, 109 

United States Lake surveys. .251 
(steamer). ...92, 94 

Unwin, Mr., map by.- 173 

Utawas River, Moore's boat 

song refers to 223 

Vallentine, Thomas, surveys 

by - 245 

VanBuren, Martin and John-203 

Vandeventer, Lieut 84 

VanRensselaer, General R 85 

Vaudrevil, M. de - 44 

Vaugban, William.. .65, 79, 80, 90 
" arrests "Bill" John- 
son .- 90 

Venice, allusion to 301, 203 

Vei-mont boundary 346 

French in 33 

Vessels at Kingston ..147 

" British, war of 1812, 64, 83 
*' sent in frames from 
England, tor the lakes 78 

" to be built in 1814 78 

Villers, M. de. at Six-torn Pt. 36 
Visions of Mirzah,allvision to 141 
VonSchoults, commands at 

battle of the Windmill. -. 94 
Vovageuis described. 130, 139, 140 

Wakefield, Priseilla 130 

Walker, Lieutenant-Colonel-361 
Warburton,Eliot,on Lake On- 
tario ...376 

War between Algonquins and 

Iroquois ...10, 11 

War pai'ties, accounts from.. 46 

" of 1812,.. .-.63to84 

" of Grindstone Island 55 

Watertown, antiquities near. 10 
Webster-Ashburton Treaty. 249 



Weld, Isaac, Jr., notice of 

Carleton Island by 110 

Wellesley Island, origin of 

name .. 393 

Wells. Lieut., of vessel Julia. 65 

Wells Island, Parks on 204 

-...180,243 

William 257 

Wesleyan Mission 173 

Westminster Park 204 

" corporation of 233 

Weteringhra-Guentere, In- 
dian name of French creek 12 
White canoe,legend of the. 14, 17 
Whittier. Autumnal scenery 

described hy .".275 

Width of St. Lawrence at 

Prescott 138 

Wilkinson's Expedition-75 to 77 

Williamson, Colonel 41, 43 

Williams, Rev. Eleazer, trans- 
lation of Indian name by. 12 
Wilson, Alexander, descrip- 
tion of Oswego by ...VI 

Windmill Battle of... 92-94 

Wingate, Richard, at Carleton 

Island 54 

Winslow, Miss, verses by 224 

Wisconsin, bears in 124 

Wolfe Island- 168 

" " as a lumbering 

station 258 

" '* Canadian militia 

on 86 

" " Light House 355 

Woolsey, Connnodore, at Os- 
wego 101 

Worth, Col. atBrockville---- 95 
Wright, Silas 203 



UNIFORM WITH THIS WORK: 

CAMPS AND TRAMPS 

IN THE 

ADIRONDACKS, 
BY J^. jxudd northrxjf. 

16mo., pp. 302, price, $1.25. 



EXTRACTS FROM PRESS NOTICES: 

Much interesting personal experience freshly narrated. — 

W. Y. Daily Tribune. 

The hints about other accessible grayling rivers in 
Michigan are trustworthy, as his descriptions of the 
habits of the fish and their way of taking. — The Nation, 
New York. 

The book may also be relied upon as perhaps the most 
accurate guide yet published of the chief points of at- 
traction in this famous and charming region. — Syracuse 
Daily Courier. 

It bristles all over with information about shooting and 
fishing, which every amateur sportsman will appreciate. — 

Syracuse Evening Herald. 

The book is a pleasant and timely addition to fish lore 
and angling literature. — George Daicson, in the Albany 
Evening Journal. 

It is fresh and breezy, with the aroma and spice of the 
North Woods. — J. A. Henshall, Author of " The Black 
Bass." 

It is the sentiment of the wilderness transported to our 
city homes. It is the aesthetics of the woods. — Utica Morn- 
ing Herald. 

To those who have not yet spent a vacation in those de- 
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which holidays may be passed there, while to those who 
have already "camped and tramped" in the scenes de- 
scribed, it will, by refreshing their recollection, bring back 
some of the old enjoyment. — Montreal Globe. 

Sent, post paid, on receipt of the price, by 

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